Builder has a ball raising cash for kids

A WEST MIDLANDS rugby team were front and centre of a trailblazing annual tournament to raise money for vulnerable and disadvantaged children.

Robin Callaway, a 53-year-old builder from Coventry, is an avid member and supporter of UK charity Wooden Spoon and played for the West Midlands side at their Vets Fest 22 event at the weekend.

The tournament, held at Birmingham’s Moseley Rugby Football Club, celebrated its second year and featured over 700 players from 16 men’s and 10 women’s Vets teams across the country.

And with rugby playing such an important role in his own life, Callaway was delighted to give back to the community throughout a fun-filled day of action.

Callaway, who was greeted by HRH, The Princess Royal on a day of rugby celebration, said: “I think this has got to be [Wooden Spoon’s] biggest event in money-raising terms and number of people.

“It’s only the second year it’s been done but it’s getting more and more successful and the idea of Wooden Spoon is to raise awareness, as well as money.

“To play in the tournament you have to become a member and to pass on the positive messages.

“So this is important because you can have fun and join a charity.

“I’ve been involved with some of their projects in schools, building things for disabled and disadvantaged children and the money gets spent in the county it’s raised.

“So it’s very relevant to people and it’s tangible – people can see where it gets spent.”

The winning teams won the Olly Stephens and Maddy Lawrence Memorial Cups to commemorate the lives of two young rugby players.

And Callaway was proud to honour their memory and continue their legacy as part of the charity. He added: “It’s poignant, they are both tragedies and it is terrible but it’s nice to be able to do something to remember them.”

Register for next year’s Vets Fest event at: https:// woodenspoon.org.uk/woodenspoon-vets-fest-2023/