Warriors team up with Happy Smiles

  • Wigan Warriors, Happy Smiles Training and Davanti Tyres have created a partnership to deliver sessions to schools to encourage children to discuss feelings and emotions.
  • Davanti Tyres have funded PE Kits for local schools as well as storybooks.
  • First team players have assisted the Community Foundation, alongside Happy Smiles to deliver sessions.

Wigan Warriors Community Foundation, Happy Smiles Training and Davanti Tyres have created a partnership to deliver sessions to schools to encourage children to discuss feelings and emotions through the power of storybooks.

Warriors first team players Jai Field and Brad O’Neil, alongside brand partner Davanti Tyres, recently visited St Benedict’s Catholic Primary School in Wigan with the Happy Smiles team to deliver one of their sessions.

The Warriors started their major partnership with international tyre manufacturer Davanti Tyres in November 2020 to support the brand’s objective to further increase its presence within the UK and internationally. Funded by Davanti Tyres, the children read books that address things such as mental health issues and terminal illnesses which prompted them to discuss their feelings and emotions.

Alex Winstanley, Author of the books, and Inclusion Champion for Happy Smiles Training, said: “The book we looked at this time was about depression and it looks at the life of someone who is suffering from mental health challenges. Everyone has gone through lots of challenges in the last 18 months, in lots of different ways, this is a way of getting people to talk about their feelings and emotions.”

Liam Hillier, Partnerships Manager at Davanti Tyres, added: “It’s fantastic for us to be able to put money and effort towards these types of foundations. Especially sitting in the classroom with the kids, seeing all the amazing things they are learning and it’s brilliant for us to be able to give children these experiences.”

Wigan Warriors Community Foundations School’s Education Manager, Guy Wood, said: “Happy Smiles are our programme leads, they’re the ones who deliver sessions across the local primary schools and the aim is to encourage children to talk about feelings, emotions, aspirations and how they want to develop in the future.”

If you would like to know more about Happy Smiles Training programme, please get in touch with Guy Wood by email at g.wood@wiganwarriors.com or phone on 01942 762880.

Wednesday 22 December 2021