Aviva Community Fund Helps Support Local Causes
Newcastle Falcons flanker Mark Wilson is urging his teammates and rugby fans to get behind a cause close to his heart following the launch of the Aviva Community Fund.
A new nationwide initiative, the Aviva Community Fund offers support and funding of up £25,000 to causes and projects that are put forward by the public.
As well as his love for the Falcons, Wilson has a close affiliation with the Friends of High Borrans, a charity that works to improve the lives young people in North Tyneside.
The High Borrans centre in the Lake District gives disadvantaged youngsters the chance to experience the natural environment, boosting their emotional and physical wellbeing at the same time.
Wilson,25, is hoping the chance to submit a cause close to his heart for support from the Aviva Community Fund is something others will follow.
“Friends of High Borrans is a charity set up to help disadvantaged kids from North Tyneside, take them over to the Lake District and give them experiences of the outdoors,” said Wilson.
“Not only to give them experiences of things like kayaking and rock climbing, it is a chance for them to build their confidence and self-esteem, leadership and teamwork and really give them social skills that will help them later on in life.
“It is a fairly new charity set up around two years ago and it hasn’t really had that much exposure as of yet so we are trying to help make people aware of what it is.
“It is something different too, we don’t really talk about the chances we have to give kids who are maybe underprivileged or haven’t really had the chance in life to really experience things like what a beautiful part of the country it is.
“The impact it has is massive, they go there and experience all the great outdoors and they come away absolutely buzzing and it is great to see for me but also for their parents.
“My home town Kendall is very local to the High Borrans outdoor centre and I have a spent a lot of time over in that area so the link there was clear for me.”
While Wilson has chosen Friends of High Borrans, the general public can pick their own community cause to support by going online and putting them forward to receive some much-needed funding from the Aviva Community Fund.
And while he stands as a voice for High Borrans, Wilson is urging everyone to come out and bring to light the many other worthwhile causes out there.
“The guys at High Borrans were really keen for me to get on board and asked me to be a patron to spread the word and cases like this are ideal,” he added.
“There are many small causes out there that any kind of money is a massive amount. They sometimes don’t get the exposure they need to get the funds they need to expand.
“Especially in High Borrans’ case, it is a great opportunity with the Aviva Community Fund for that to happen. It would be a great help to any cause and people should definitely get involved.”
Mark Wilson was speaking about his support for Friends of High Borrans at the Aviva Community Fund launch, a nationwide initiative from Aviva, title sponsor of Aviva Premiership Rugby, which offers support and funding to causes close to your heart. Visit aviva.co.uk/community-fund
