ATTIVO

Attivo Kick Off Summer Event With Jonny Wilkinson

It’s not every day you have the chance to spend a few hours with a rugby icon.

This weekend we were thrilled to welcome Jonny Wilkinson and clients to Attivo’s exclusive Kick Off Summer event. Clients travelled from far and wide to see the rugby legend in action, many of them bringing children and grandchildren to share the unique experience.

Jonny, our Attivo ambassador, led an exclusive skills session for children aged six to 16 at Farleigh House, the famous home of Bath Rugby. After lunch, jazz and garden games, sports presenter Jill Douglas MBE hosted a discussion and Q&A with Jonny, during which he gave us a fascinating insight into his playing days.

The sun gods were certainly looking down on us on 22 June, and with Bath Rugby’s flag flying proudly from its turrets, Farleigh House was a stunning venue. Clients were welcomed by Attivo Chairman Stephen Harper and enjoyed coffee overlooking the state-of-the-art 3G training pitch. But before long it was time for our younger guests to don bespoke Attivo rugby shirts (number 10 of course) and get set for their skills session with our star guest.

“I want you to have as much fun as you physically can,” said Jonny, and they certainly did. If any of them were unsure how to master a rugby ball, they are in no doubt now. After all, this is the man who toured twice with the British and Irish Lions, won 91 England caps and kicked the country to glory in the 2003 World Cup. Coaches don’t come much more qualified than this!

Both sessions started with a quick warm-up and passing practice, before diving into kicking technique. Jonny’s message was clear – kick with your “whole body, because it gives you way more power,” and it definitely hit home. After an hour of fun drills, youngsters were happily firing ball after ball between the posts, while Jonny knelt by the kicking tee, offering advice and encouragement. Enthusiastic parents and grandparents hovered behind the goal, cheering as balls flew over and feeding them back to the group.

As each coaching session drew to a close, guests flowed down to the lawn where they tucked into a hog roast, glasses of champagne and enjoyed tunes from Jazz Junction. Then it was time for Jonny and Jill to take to the stage, for an intimate Q&A.

There is a rich affinity between Jonny and Attivo’s values, and this synergy really came to the fore during his interview and audience question time. Jonny reflected on the personal challenges that came with the World Cup back in 2003, including the “deep sense of fear” he lived with for many years, his struggle to relax and how his mindset has gradually evolved. “I had this desperate desire to find out what I was capable of, and this other desperate desire to win and achieve things,” he explained. “One of those still remains.”

After giving us a fascinating glimpse into his life, Jonny generously posed for photos with our guests, including the young and the young at heart. He also happily signed everything from England rugby shirts, to balls, boots and baseball caps. Meanwhile, every child received a certificate and medal, in recognition of their skills session.

As we savour our memories of a fantastic day, we’d like to thank our clients and their families for throwing themselves into everything with such enthusiasm. And of course, a huge thanks to Jonny, Jill and the team at Farleigh House. We look forward to new and exciting client events in the future, and we hope you’ll join us too.

Hear our client feedback:

It’s been a fabulous day. It was great to see the kids interacting with Jonny – he was such a natural with them. This is a money-can’t-buy experience, so we feel very fortunate.