TackleLondon and The Legal Director launch a new charity partnership, with heartfelt thanks for supporting the Matt Ratana Rugby Foundation Awards Evening

TackleLondon and The Legal Director (TLD), the UK National business law firm, are thrilled to announce a new charity partnership – one that begins, fittingly, with a thank you.

TLD is known across the businesses it works with for a simple idea: that senior legal expertise should feel like part of the team. Its Client Legal Directors work embedded within growing businesses, building the kind of trusted, hands-on relationships that TLD believes make the real difference, a philosophy that, as this partnership shows, extends well beyond the boardroom.

That same instinct for showing up, not just signing off, is what first brought TLD alongside TackleLondon and MRRF – supporting this year’s Matt Ratana Rugby Foundation (MRRF) and TackleLondon Awards Evening, an event that meant a great deal to everyone who works with our young people. TackleLondon is The Matt Ratana Rugby Foundation’s flagship programme. In May, 36 TackleLondon participants, from schools across Croydon, East Grinstead, Oxted and Bromley, were celebrated not just for their rugby but for demonstrating the values MRRF holds at the centre of everything it does: wellbeing and inclusivity, respect for people and culture, the benefits of team sport, discipline and fairness, and sporting values. TLD’s sponsorship support helped make that evening happen, and TackleLondon and MRRF are enormously grateful for it.

Partnerships like this one matter because they go further than funding alone. They bring visibility to young people whose stories might otherwise go untold, open doors to volunteering and mentoring that no charity can create on its own, and connect communities, like TLD’s network of lawyers and businesses across the UK, with the everyday reality of the work TackleLondon does in schools, communities and rugby clubs each week.

"None of what we do would be possible without partners who back us properly, and TLD has done exactly that. Their support helped make our Awards Evening the night it was for 36 incredible young people and parents & carers. We're thrilled this is just the start - we can't wait to see where this partnership takes us."

Ian Braid

Director at The Matt Ratana Rugby Foundation

Among those celebrated on the night was Josephine, from Thomas More Catholic School, who received the Floyd Steadman Award. The trophy was donated by Floyd Steadman OBE DL, the first Black captain of Saracens, to be awarded annually at the Foundation’s celebration evening. Floyd’s own story of resilience, raised in care, later a mentor to England captain Maro Itoje, has become a touchpoint for TackleLondon’s young people. Unable to attend in person this year, Floyd sent a video message for the evening instead. Watch it here:

"At TLD we like to support charities where we can make a meaningful difference, especially where our team can get actively involved in supporting a cause they are passionate about. I’m a big rugby fan so when a good friend told me about TackleLondon and how it is using rugby to transform the lives of young Londoners affected by adverse childhood experiences I immediately wanted to know more about it. From my work with another South London mentoring organisation I know the positive power that mentoring can have for disadvantaged young people and tying this in with rugby sessions struck me as a brilliant combination. With the right coaches and environment, rugby’s values of hard work, discipline, responsibility and teamship can build confidence, resilience, a sense of belonging and a strong connection with a player's community. I’m looking forward to helping promote the fantastic work of Tackle London, and seeing what it does at first hand.”

Ed Simpson

Founder of The Legal Director

This is only the beginning of the next 12 months. TackleLondon and TLD are already looking at new ways to work together to support our young people and help raise the funds needed to grow our programmes and reach more communities. From fundraising and sharing the stories of the young people we work with, to volunteering and finding new ways for the TLD network to get involved, there are lots of opportunities ahead.

Ready to get involved?

For those at TLD meeting us for the first time, this is what you’re now part of: watch Jonathan’s story, one of the young lives TackleLondon supports every week, and see for yourself why this partnership matters. Watch below.