SOS/iRB Kit aid is a charitable organisation that collects unused/unwanted kit and sends it to less advantaged children from emerging rugby nations around the world which then gives them a chance to play and enjoy the game.
SOS Green is a new initiative that not only aims to raise awareness of the need to collect and provide kit to the less advantaged but also to help to educate and raise the environmental issues that affect us all, if kit is thrown away in land fill sites, a growing problem in the UK. Gloucestershire schools were the first to be invited to take up the SOS Green challenge. The schools that took part were, Churchdown School, Sir Thomas Riches School, Winchcombe School,Thomas Keble school and Lakers School.
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The schools each designed a marketing plan and organised an SOS Green collection day at their respective schools. They each then presented their projects to a panel of judges which included:, Gloucester Player, Leon Lloyd, Former England & Lions legend Gareth Chilcott, who is also an ambassador for the project, Richard Westaway, Regional Director and Anthony Lynn Project marketing Director from SOS/iRB Kit Aid.
After much deliberation the panel declared Churchdown school as the winners. They were presented with a framed shirt signed by the Gloucester squad and will now have the chance to present their SOS Green project to distinguished guests at the House of Commons. Anthony Lynn, Project Marketing Director for SOS said, 'The standard of the entries was so high that we found it extremely difficult to choose a winning entry. The ideas presented by the schools were fantastic and we will now look to develop them and use in our national campaign, the quality was that good. The Gloucestershire schools have set the standard!"
Gary Little, Community Marketing Manager for Gloucester Rugby added, 'We are delighted to have been involved in this project. I visited each of the schools during the planning of their SOS green projects and have been inspired by the students enthusiasm and standard of work. The panel had the extremely difficult task of choosing a winner and congratulations go to Churchdown School for an excellent project that involved the entire school. Although one project was singled out, it is one of those situations whereby I believe that they were all winners and I would like to congratulate every school for taking part. The project has been so successful it will now be run in other regions across the UK. Our schools can therefore be very proud of setting the standard for others to follow.'
