SpoonFeature
LEADING BY
EXAMPLE
SPOONEWS CAUGHT UP WITH
WOODEN SPOON’S NEW LEAD
AMBASSADOR, JASON LEONARD,
WHO IS NOT PREPARED TO JUST
SIT ON HIS LAURELS AND BE A
FIGUREHEAD.
Report by Julian Crabtree
A few years ago whilst trying to find a patron for a
challenge I was doing I managed to track down a
famous explorer who said he would have no
problems supporting me as long as he didn't have
to do anything and I had to promise that he would
never hear from me ever again.
When Jason Leonard was appointed as Lead
Ambassador for Wooden Spoon you knew that his
attitude was going to be the complete opposite
and he was going to throw himself into the role as
enthusiastically as he did into the rucks and mauls.
Leonard has won the highest international
accolades in a rugby career that has spanned
twenty odd years including the World Cup in 2003,
four Grand Slams and a British and Irish Lions Test
series in South Africa. He is still England's most
capped player with 114 under his belt and five
caps for the Lions.
Now he brings his formidable reputation and
dedicated work ethic to Wooden Spoon, a charity
that he has been involved in almost as long as he
has been playing rugby.
"I was playing rugby at the time for Saracens
back in 1988 and we had done a few Wooden
Spoon events at the club," remembers Jason.
"I just started to give my support at various events:
functions, golf days and dinners. It was a softly,
softly approach but it just seemed a natural
progression to get more involved.
30 Spoonews Winter 2009
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