19 Nov 2024
A St Albans schoolboy has been announced as the winner of a competition to design a jersey for The British & Irish Lions.
Seven-year-old Fionn Toolan’s design was chosen from all entries into the competition run by Howden, a principal partner of the rugby team.
A budding rugby star himself, Fionn plays on St Albans RFC U8 Minis Team, where Howden St Albans is sponsor of the Men’s First Team. He will see his design brought to life on a framed jersey, plus 30 jerseys for his local team.
Fionn said: “I’m really excited to win the competition. I entered when I saw it advertised at St Albans RFC because I love drawing and rugby. And I like supporting the Lions because it means I can support Ireland for Mummy and England for Daddy at the same time!”
His mum Vicky Toolan said: “Fionn and his brother Cillian have both played at St Albans for over three years now. He loves getting muddy, scoring lots of tries, and training with his friends. It’s a really friendly club to be a part of; we enjoy the Sunday morning training sessions and are always welcoming of new players!”
Fionn’s winning design was considered to capture the spirit and excitement of the Lions and was selected from entries across Howden’s 108 high street branches.
St Albans branch manager Eric Juster said: “We’re absolutely thrilled for Fionn, and to have the winner come from our local community is a real point of pride! At Howden St Albans, we’re incredibly proud to support initiatives that engage young talent and celebrate the sport we all love.
We can’t wait to see his design brought to life.
“Rugby has many opportunities, and yet as a sport, faces so many challenges on and off the field. That’s why, across Howden, we’re so committed to helping rugby thrive in the communities we serve. It’s through competitions and initiatives like this that we can inspire the next generation of rugby fans!”
The Howden team say they want to help ensure that local rugby – and local sport more widely – can continue to be the beating heart of communities for generations to come. This involves anything from protecting local clubs, helping them find the right specialist cover for their equipment, buildings and enterprises, to sponsoring local teams so that players of all abilities, backgrounds, ages and genders have the support they need to tackle any challenge.
