Wooden Spoon is rugby's charity supporting mentally, physically and socially disadvantaged children and young people.

Spoon has committed to over £13 million in spending for projects for children and young people. It has organised over 2,000 events and had over 25,000 ties worn by its loyal members and supporters. Hardworking staff and volunteers have achieved all of this since the birth of the charity.

The charity started as a one off golf day to win a Wooden Spoon that was given to a group of English supporters in 1983 by their Irish opponents when England's Five Nations season ended in disaster with defeat by Ireland, leaving them languishing at the bottom of the table.

It now consistently raises over £1.5million each year to distribute to local and national projects and Spoon now has patronage from the four rugby home unions and royal patronage from Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal.

Harlequins Chief Executive, Mark Evans said: "We are delighted to be supporting the main charity of rugby and look forward to developing a good working relationship with them over the next year, when we hope to help raise a significant amount of money for the worthwhile causes they support."

Gordon Brown, Wooden Spoon's voluntary Chairman of the Middlesex Region, said: "We are delighted to be appointed Quins official charity for this Season as we enter our 25th year of supporting disadvantaged children. All funds raised through Quins events and endeavours will be spent locally on projects to 'stir smiles' for disadvantaged children throughout Middlesex and surrounds."

For more information on the Wooden Spoon, log-on to www.woodenspoon.com.