Welcome and thank you for volunteering with Wooden Spoon — the children’s charity of rugby. 

Our volunteers are at the heart of everything we do. Across the UK and Ireland, your time, passion and commitment help us raise and distribute funding for life-changing projects that support children and young people with disabilities or facing disadvantage. 

We are incredibly proud of our volunteer community and grateful that you have chosen to be part of it. 

Our Volunteer Promise 

Volunteering is a partnership. We want every volunteer to feel supported, valued and respected. 

What you can expect from Wooden Spoon 

We will:

• provide a clear introduction and guidance for your role
• Offer support from the National Office and Regional teams
• Keep you informed about charity news, projects and activities 
• Provide policies and guidance to help you volunteer safely 
• Treat you fairly and with respect
• Listen to your ideas, feedback and concerns
• Ensure your personal data is handled securely
• Recognise and appreciate your contribution 

What we ask from you

We ask volunteers to:

• Support the mission and values of Wooden Spoon 
• Treat everyone with respect, dignity and fairness 
• Communicate honestly and respectfully
• Carry out your role to the best of your ability
• Follow the charity’s policies and procedures 
• Let us know if you need support or guidance 
• Give reasonable notice if you cannot fulfil commitments 
• Represent Wooden Spoon in a positive and responsible way 

 

Volunteer Code of Conduct 

When representing Wooden Spoon, volunteers should always act in a way that reflects the values and reputation of the charity.

Volunteers should:

• Treat others with respect and consideration 
• Promote a safe and inclusive environment
• Follow health and safety guidance
• Respect confidential information 
• Declare conflicts of interest
• Raise concerns if something does not feel right 
• Represent the charity positively when attending events or activities

Behaviour That Is Not Acceptable

The following behaviour is not acceptable when volunteering with Wooden Spoon:

• Bullying, harassment or discrimination 
• Behaviour that causes physical or emotional harm 
• Actions that may bring the charity into disrepute 
• Being under the influence of alcohol or drugs while undertaking volunteer duties 
• Sharing confidential information without authorisation 
• Misrepresenting the charity or providing false information 
• Unauthorised use of charity property or data 

If these standards are not followed, the charity may take appropriate action. 

Safeguarding 

Wooden Spoon supports projects involving children and young people. 

All volunteers must: 

• Behave appropriately at all times, especially when children and vulnerable adults may be present. 
• Follow the charity’s Safeguarding Policy 
• Complete reference checks and DBS checks where required 
• Promptly disclose any criminal convictions, cautions, arrests, charges, or other matters that may impact your volunteering role or the reputation of the Charity, so that appropriate support and risk assessments can be considered

Safeguarding concerns must always be reported through the appropriate channels.

Confidentiality & Data Protection 

Where applicable, volunteers must protect personal and sensitive information obtained through their role. 

This includes: 

• Only using approved Wooden Spoon systems (such as SCRUM) to store information 
• Using Wooden Spoon’s Salesforce system as the single origin point for up-to-date contact information 
• Keeping login credentials secure 
• Not sharing confidential information externally without permission
• Following Wooden Spoon’s Data Protection policies 

 

Social Media & Public Representation 

Many volunteers help promote Wooden Spoon through events, fundraising and community engagement, which we greatly appreciate. 

When posting online or engaging with media while representing Wooden Spoon, please:

• Be positive, respectful and accurate 
• Avoid sharing confidential or sensitive information 
• Make it clear when you are speaking personally rather than on behalf of the charity 
• Avoid posting content that could damage the reputation of the charity 
• Seek guidance from the National Office before engaging with journalists or official media

If you are unsure about something you would like to post or share, please check with your regional contact or the National Office. 

Raising Concerns 

If you have concerns about behaviour, safeguarding, misconduct or wrongdoing, please raise them with Wooden Spoon. 

You can contact us via: 

charity@woodenspoon.org.uk or – +44 (0)1252 773720.  

Concerns will be treated confidentially and handled in line with the charity’s policies.

Volunteer Declaration 

I confirm that I have read and understood the Wooden Spoon Volunteer Agreement and Code of Conduct. 

I agree to support the charity’s values and follow the expectations outlined in this document while volunteering with Wooden Spoon.

Wooden Spoon values your support and promises to respect your privacy and under the terms of GDPR 2018 we will store and process your personal information, in order to provide services in accordance with our charitable aims.

You may change your communications preferences or withdraw your consent at any time by contacting charity@woodenspoon.org.uk

Our data privacy policy can be found at woodenspoon.org.uk/privacy-policy/ .

Company No 1847860, Registered in England Registered address: Sentinel House, Ancells Business Park, Harvest Crescent, Fleet, Hampshire, GU51 2UZ
Charity Registration No 326691 (England & Wales) and SC039247 (Scotland)