Joseph’s Goal Point Pledge

• Auto Time Systems Northern Ltd to donate £100 per try and £10 per kick scored by Harry Smith to charity.
• Smith: “It’s a great cause for a great young lad.”
• Learn more about Joseph’s Goal by visiting HERE.

Auto Time Systems Northern Ltd have announced a pledge of donations to Wigan based charity Joseph’s Goal for every try and goal scored by Harry Smith in 2023, with Smith himself becoming an ambassador.

The pledges announced will see the company donate based on Harry Smith’s scoring throughout the season, with £100 per try and £10 per goal kicked donated directly to Joseph’s Goal.

Set up in 2012 by Joseph’s parents Paul and Emma, the charity raises funds for research into Nonketotic Hyperglycinemia, (NKH), the life-limiting genetic condition that their son was born with. NKH, is a rare, genetic disorder that affects only one child in every 60,000 and is caused by an excess of glycine on the brain that affects development. The condition can vary in severity, with the more severe forms resulting in frequent seizures, immobility, and global developmental delay.

“We’re looking to raise as much funds as possible to fund research into NKH,” Smith told Wigan Today.

“I’m an ambassador for Joseph’s Goal, which I became involved with through my girlfriend, Chloe’s grandad, who’s a trustee of the charity, and a cousin of Joseph’s grandad. It’s a family friend who is sponsoring me, and it’s a great cause for a great young lad.

“There’s a bit of pressure maybe on the goal-kicking side, but I don’t score too many tries. Hopefully the lads will put me over for a few more as it’s for such a good cause!”

Smith and his sponsors continue the relationship between Wigan Warriors and Joseph’s Goal, with Warriors wearing the logo of Joseph’s Goal on their shirts in a Super League match against Catalans in 2018. The 23 year-old joins multiple former Wigan players in becoming an ambassador for the cause, with Sean O’Loughlin, Pat Richards, Ryan Sutton and Oliver Gildart also representing the charity.

Managing director of Auto Time Systems Northern Ltd Jane Kelley told Wigan Today: “We are proud and excited to be associated with Joseph’s Goal and we hope our sponsorship will make a significant contribution to finding a cure for NKH. As Warriors fans with family connections with Harry, we thought this sponsorship format would perhaps generate further interest and support for Joseph’s Goal.”

Emma Kendrick, Joseph’s mum and a trustee of the charity, added: “We would like to thank Jane and Simon for this generous sponsorship partnership. All of the money we raise goes to NKH research undertaken by Dr Nick Greene at UCL, who is making massive strides thanks to wonderful gestures such as this.”

Wigan Warriors Chief Executive Kris Radlinski said: “Joseph’s Goal is another charity close to our hearts. The gesture made by Auto Time Systems Northern Ltd is incredible and I know that Harry will do the charity proud. Harry practices his goal kicks religiously and I expect his success rate by the end of the season to be very high so a great amount will be raised for the charity.”

Learn more about Joseph’s Goal and how to donate by clicking HERE.