White Oak UK announces new charity partnership with School of Hard Knocks

06 November 2019

Starting this month, we’re pleased to announce that our new corporate charity will be the fantastic School of Hard Knocks (SOHK).

SOHK was founded in 2012 by Ken Cowen, who created the concept in 2007. SOHK delivers life-changing programmes across the UK. The work they do changes the lives of more than 750 children and adults every year, using rugby, boxing and strongman courses, supported by a curriculum of powerful life lessons. Predominantly, they work with unemployed adults to find and sustain employment; and with school children at risk of exclusion to help them reengage with education.

Operating from sites in London, Cardiff, Glasgow and Edinburgh, they are backed by ambassadors such as Invictus Games gold-medallist Andy Grant, England Rugby stalwart Andy Gomarsall MBE and international women’s rugby star, Maggie Alphonsi MBE.

Discussing the partnership, Andy Davis, White Oak UK’s managing director, explained,

“As a business, I feel it’s important to align ourselves with charities who complement our business, not just in their approach but also in their focus, aims and purpose.”

How White Oak UK will support SOHK

For every deal White Oak UK complete, we allocate an amount to our charity foundation pot. This equates to £1.50 for every own book deal and £1.00 for every brokered deal. On top of this we have our annual White Oak UK Polo fundraiser at Chester Racecourse.

However, the partnership will be more visible, deep and engaging with the White Oak UK staff. We already have an exciting event schedule planned to include a Welsh Winter Family Walk, a Glasgow Kiltwalk and a cycle challenge featuring a group cycle between our Ewloe and Glasgow offices – a distance of 245 miles!

Carl continued,

“SOHK’s founder, Ken Cowen says that through their support they are ‘empowering people to achieve whatever they set their minds to’.

For me, that is very much in line with the ethos of our own business and it’s just one reason I believe that this will be a fantastic partnership for both organisations.”

To discover more about the work of the School of Hard Knocks, please visit their website.

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