Sharks Community Trust will become the Sale Sharks Foundation
The charitable arm of Premiership Rugby club Sale Sharks is re-branding – and to mark the change the newly named Sale Sharks Foundation is launching a hunt for the North-West’s unsung community heroes.
The monthly award will shine a spotlight on those people making a big impact in communities right across the region.
Anyone can nominate someone for the award and the winner each month will be announced on the Foundation’s social media channels with a special video from a Sharks star.
Sale Sharks Foundation – formerly Sharks Community Trust – was formed to use the power of sport to change lives in the region and to grow rugby union to new audiences.
The Foundation runs programmes in areas such as girls’ rugby, disability rugby, inclusion, veterans support, education, knife crime, mental health and employability for young people aged 16-18 who have fallen out of mainstream education.
Last year the organisation worked with more than 15,000 people in total, including 5,000 young people as part of its school programmes, over 2,000 girls took part in the Girls Tackle Rugby programme and more than 1,000 people who have participated in a mental wellbeing session.
Now, with the organisation undergoing significant structural change, the decision was made to bring it closer to the club in terms of its branding.
Sale Sharks Foundation CEO Alison Warwood said: “Reintroducing the word Sale back into our name in-line with the club’s identity reflects the direction are moving in as a charity. The Covid-19 pandemic not only restricted the work we could do in our community, but also our collaboration with players and staff at the club. Sale Sharks Foundation will reintegrate the players of Sale Sharks into the work we do to help inspire more people than ever across the North West.
“Our vision is to use the power of our sport to change lives throughout the North West. Passionate, inclusive, respectful, kind, fun and proud have long been our guiding values. Now, as we grow as a Foundation we want to display these principles proudly so that they are recognised as the principles that underpin our staff and our programmes.
“To mark the beginning of Sale Sharks Foundation, we want to shine a light on those people who are working so hard across our region to change lives. We know they’re out there because we see them every day but it’s about time they got the credit they deserve.
“So we’re launching a monthly “Unsung Hero” award. Our unsung heroes will be nominated by their peers from the club across Sale Sharks official social media channels.”
“Ultimately, everyone bears social responsibility for their communities and those who live in them. As a Foundation, we proactively try to take on as much of this responsibility as possible. Now is the time to celebrate likeminded people and shine a spotlight on the people working hardest to better our communities.”
