The Green Gazelles, the world’s first fully vegan rugby club, is working with the World Forest Organisation to host an environment-focused charity match.
The world’s first vegan rugby club, the Green Gazelles, will host The Big Green Clash, a charity match highlighting environmental issues in collaboration with the World Forest Organisation.
Tickets are on sale for the match at London’s Rosslyn Park on November 27, with all profits donated to the World Forest Organisation to help fund its tree-planting project.
The Green Gazelles is an invitational rugby club with more than 150 players worldwide on a mission to promote veganism, sustainability and environmental awareness through the game. The World Forest Organisation is a charity founded in 2017 with vegan values taking the planting to the next level.
The majority of those trees are in rural Kenya, where the tropical conditions enable trees to grow much faster and therefore contribute much more effectively to combat climate change. The trees help produce oxygen, suck carbon and provide commodities for communities to battle hunger and poverty.
The Green Gazelles is looking to showcase the talents of its roster against tough opposition in front of a big crowd. It will be an exhibition-style XVs match with some ex-rugby professionals and vegan celebrities.
Brendon Bale, Green Gazelles founder and the mastermind of the event, aims to combine the club’s community spirit and positive focus to raise environmental awareness. “We at the Green Gazelles just want to try and help promote a more compassionate, eco-friendly and sustainable future through our love of rugby,” he said. “The Big Green Clash will help us show off the impressive players in our ranks and prove that vegans can hit just as hard in a sport like rugby.”
“On and off the pitch, we can help kick carbon emissions firmly into touch and tackle environmental issues by promoting sustainable products, plant-based food and raising funds to plant more trees for carbon neutrality.”
World Forest Organisation co-founder Tracey West added: “We have to use all the tools in the box to evoke swift environmental behaviour change to support and protect our planet. I cannot think of a more convivial way to raise awareness of what our world needs right now than through a spectacular, plant-based sporting event.”
