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WELCOME TO THE HEARTS AND BALLS WEBSITE

Rugby brings immense pleasure and a sense of community to millions of people. But, occasionally, it brings tragedy instead – like many other sports. Though it happens very rarely, injuries can be serious and life-changing. Hearts and Balls aims to ensure that, in times of need, those connected with rugby are supported by the wider rugby community.

Since 1999 we’ve supported over 30 players and their families. This support has taken many forms – financial and non-financial, short-term and long-term. Click here to see what we do.

If you yourself have suffered a serious injury on the rugby field, or are suffering as a result of an injury to a loved one, we may be able to support you too. Go to Can We Help You? to find out more.

On the other hand, you may be able to support us. If you’d like to donate money, or join a fundraising event, go to Help Us. The News and Events section also has details of fundraising activities, both past and future.

WHAT WE DO

Hearts and Balls has donated in the region of £200,000 to rugby players and their families since 1999. Through advice and advocacy, we also help them to raise money from other sources. Our recent funding includes:

* new wheelchairs for players with spinal injuries
* specialist mattresses for players with spinal injuries
* adapting the home and garden of a spinally-injured player
* car insurance for a specialist vehicle for a spinally-injured player
* an additional carer to accompany a spinally-injured player on holiday
* mortgage interest payments for the wife and young children of a player who died from a heart problem when playing rugby
* specialist IT equipment for a spinally-injured player returning to study
* legal costs of setting up a trust for an injured player.

We also work with national and international bodies and charities to help provide specialist vehicles and other equipment.

Our next goal is to develop plans and actions to help players with spinal or other catastrophic injuries to pursue education and development goals and to achieve gainful and fulfilling employment. We will do this in conjunction with other partners.

WHO ARE WE?

Hearts and Balls was conceived in 1999 when a player from the Lismore Rugby Club in Edinburgh suffered a serious spinal injury that left him paralysed. Having run a highly successful appeal, Lismore decided to widen its support to cover other players impacted by serious injury or illness. Thus, Hearts and Balls came into being, with the aim of ‘helping rugby help its own’. Since then, we’ve helped numerous players and families.

Apart from specially-targeted marketing assistance for events, no salaries are taken from Hearts and Balls’ funds. All directors give their time and expertise on a voluntary basis.

OUR DIRECTORS

Malcolm Gillies

Introduction to come.

Liam McArthur

My rugby career was put out of its misery after only a handful of unremarkable performances for Kirkwall Grammar in Orkney in the 1980s. Accused of pushing in the lineouts and jumping in the scrums, I have no doubt that this was a mercy killing. However, my far more talented younger brother, Dug, was a keen rugby player. Tragically, he was left quadraplegic after a terrible rugby accident in 1996. As a Trustee of Dug's Trust Fund, I met John, Jeff and others involved in Struan Kerr Liddell's appeal and realised that such injuries were rare but sadly common enough. Hearts and Balls emerged from a belief in the need for more of a collective approach to supporting guys like Dug and Struan, financially but also emotionally.

Jeff Milliken

I played rugby until well past when I should have stopped, on the odd occassion I still turn up although many would query what game I am playing. I have been fortunate through work to live in Asia, Latin America and the UK and on each occasion rugby has been the bridge to great experiences, memories and friendships. On the way there has been the odd broken bone, 2 lost teeth and a few stitches (I was a slow scrum half ) but the ´trade off´ was personally worth it. On the very odd occassion that ´trade off´ is something a lot more significant. I played when Struan Kerr broke his neck. Hearts and Balls, does not change peoples lives, does not make it better, but we believe what we do in some small way helps some very courageous people.

John Evans

I have spent 35 years in rugby as a player and referee at (very) junior levels and have enjoyed almost every minute of it. In 1981 I suffered a neck injury in a scrum collapse in my first game at open-age group level. On two occasions when I have been unavailable to play the individual replacing me has suffered a serious neck injury- it is that which has driven me above anything else to be part of the Hearts and Balls team and to work to help those who suffer catastrophic injury. I believe that rugby is unique in its community and its ability to help its own puts it in a great position to assist injured players through financial, pastoral and spiritual support.

I am immensely proud to be involved with Hearts and Balls and hope that others will join us as we expand our work across the rugby communities and family.

Jim Littlefair

I was enormously fortunate to play at Stewart's Melville thru the late 70's and early 80's and to have played with some very fine players. Whether the Calder, Brewster, Morgan and Scott brothers say the same of having had to play with me is open to some conjecture.

My exposure to the plight of the catastrophically injured player and his family occurred when Jonny Mitchell, Captain of North Berwick suffered a serious spinal injury in the first scrum of the club's game at Hawick Linden. I am delighted to have been involved with Jonny's Trust Fund and now the wider causes that Hearts and Balls can assist.

OUR PARTNERS

We have developed relationships with several other partners including:

If you know of, or are involved with, any other organisations who might work with Hearts and Balls to help rugby help its own, please feel free to Contact Us.

NEWS AND EVENTS

Edinburgh school raises over £50,000

Great Run - Team Merchiston

The Bupa Great Run

Hundreds of pupils, teachers and parents from Edinburgh's Merchiston Castle School took part in the Great Edinburgh 10K Run on 3rd May, to raise funds for Hearts and Balls. Together, they raised a magnificent £52,500, the single largest charitable donation in the history of the race.

The idea to do the 10K came from Merchiston pupil Patrick Costello, after a serious injury to his friend and fellow Nick Watt. The feat of galvanising 170 pupils, 20 teachers and 50 parents to run the race was amazing. Hearts and Balls is immensely grateful to Patrick and to everyone who took part in the race, helped with organisation, and donated money.

Speaking about the Merchiston boys' commitment to Hearts and Balls, Willie Watt, Nick's father, said: "We see it as both a great sign of the friendship that his school friends feel for Nick and also a very practical source of funds and support to Hearts and Balls which looks after all of those who have been injured playing rugby, the game that they love."

Great Run - Mums on the runFollowing conversations with Willie Watt, the Hearts and Balls board will invest in patients' IT facilities at the Spinal Injuries Unit at the Southern General Hospital in Glasgow. This provides spinal injuries services to the whole of Scotland, and is therefore central in the rehabilitation of spinally-injured rugby players.

We are also developing our strategy to support the education and career development of those impacted by catastrophic injury.

George Balta - Injured in Romania

Scottish players at every level are extremely fortunate that those who represent them at Murrayfield have secured appropriate sponsorship from Scottish Hydro to pay the premiums required for every player who laces up his or her boots and pulls on a strip to be insured to play rugby. Our clubs used to pay these premiums but this is an excellent use of sponsorship and also provides peace of mind to all involved.

This is not so in all rugby playing nations. Jim Littlefair has recently returned from Romania where George Balta (pictured left) the national U20 hooker was catastrophically injured some three years ago. He lives in a basement in Bucharest and requires to be carried up to street level before being able to go anywhere. He was not insured to play and has what could be considered a ‘pepper corn' disability allowance. He needs a new home with the basic facilities that Johnny, Dug, Ciaran, Nick, Eddie and the few others in Scotland have by right.

After the excellent match between Romania and Fiji which the visitors won by 28 - 18 a dinner took place with the key note speakers being the 1987 world cup final props Jean-Pierre Garuet and Steve McDowell! Jim was hugely impressed by the organisation of the rugby community as all food, copious booze and facilities had been donated making the takings profit! A fantastic effort from all involved and after the dinner they had raised another 14,500 euro to go towards the new home for Georgy. Hearts and Balls has committed 15,000 euro and the fund raising group is now approximately 10,000 short of their target to complete. Georgy should be in his new home for Christmas.

Hearts and Balls is keen to lobby the IRB to find out what can be done to ensure that players in the less developed areas of this world are properly insured to play the game. It is vital that there is enough cash for those who need to make changes in their basic needs such as care packages and suitable accommodation.

 

 

Royal High Corstorphine Under 17's win Glasgow District League

Due to a lack of local opposition, Royal High Corstorphine Under 17’s joined and then won the GLASGOW district league and recently they had a fun day and played the club’s Golden Oldies.  Here is a group photo of both squads with a get well soon Fergie (mispelt) message.  Graeme Ferguson a 44 year old of RHC who had a stroke after working out in the gym, has been in Astley Ainslie for last 3 months.  After the match they held a raffle and raised a smashing £306!  Thanks guys and good luck in the Colts league next season!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Not to be out done, after attending the fun day at RHC, Hector McIntosh (age 8) who lives locally decided to make some fairy cakes and pick some of his Mum's flowers to sell in aid of Hearts and Balls.  He raised £12! Here he is proudly wearing his Hearts and Balls t-shirt.  Thanks Hector and we look forward to seeing you turning out for the U 17 side ..

Carmarthen Couple Raise Money for Hearts and Balls!

Since Geraint Jones was diagnosed with cancer, he and his wife Liz have thrown themselves into running events and raising money for charities and in the last year have raised over £5,600!

We were absolutely delighted when they chose us for their August event and we have just received well over £500 which we will spend as wisely as we can to support disabled rugby players.


Pictured are Liz Jones and her good friend Elsie Davies, proudly wearing the famous pink shirts!

Glasgow Warriors Awards

After the enormously successful Glasgow Rugby Reunited party at the Fruit Market in Glasgow, there was some outstanding business for SRU President and Hearts and Balls Director Ian McLauchlan as he was required to attend the Glasgow Warriors base at Scotstoun to be presented with the Glasgow Rugby Legend Award for 2010.  As you can see Ritchie Gray made the award. 

John Barclay and Graeme Morrison were present to show off the trophies won by Scotland on their wonderfully sucessful  tour of Argentina in June. 

 

After being shown to be on the ‘short side' by Ritchie, Ian made sure that John and Graeme were sitting down!

 

Readers will be pleased to know that the Glasgow Warriors big boss Kenny Baillie has entered a Warriors team for the Hearts and Balls Quiz at Glasgow Accies on 1st September, come along and find out just how bright they are!

Martin Dixon and Istvan Balint are walking from Bucuresti to Brasov!

Between 22nd and 25th September, Martin Dixon, native of Scarborough in England and editor of the Ex-Pat Life Magazine in Bucuresti and Istvan Balint (pictured) native of Miercurea Ciuc in Romania and general manager of the Gyopar Club Hotel & Conference Centre, will be walking from Bucuresti to Brasov to raise funds for the charity Asociatia Prietenii Rugbyului Romanesc (APRR) / Friends of Romanian Rugby (FoRR).

APRR / FoRR has strong links with Hearts and Balls and as readers may know we made a 15,000 euro contribution to the labour costs of finishing the house for George and his family.

APRR / FoRR is a registered Romanian Charity founded in 2006 to support injured people from the sports' world, in particular rugby players. The charity was formed when George Balta, a young Romanian rugby player, sustained a serious spinal injury while playing rugby and was tragically left paralyzed from the chest down. Since then the charity, helped by many companies, the Romanian Rugby Federation, the Romanian Olympic Committee and individuals too many to mention, have financially and spiritually helped George and his family through this extremely difficult period in their lives. The piece de resistance of these efforts came to fruition early this year when George and his family moved out of their tiny basement flat into a purpose built house funded by APRR/FoRR and friends. In a further quite unbelievable tragedy George's brother florin, who had been employed by the Romanian Rugby Federation as George's personal helper, collapsed and died of a heart attack last year, one day short of his 26th birthday. Sadly Florin wasn't there to see George move into his new house and also start his new job in the IT Department of Orange Romania. With George reasonably settled we recently had another tragic incident on the rugby field - Alex Gradinaru. Sadly Alex passed away before leaving hospital and getting into a rehabilitation programme.


The walk is going to take place over 4 stages and will start from the Dubliner Irish Pub in Bucuresti and end in Dean's Irish Pub in Brasov - a grand total of 168 kilometres!

Wednesday 22nd September. Day 1 - Bucuresti to Ploiesti.
Thursday 23rd September. Day 2 - Ploiesti to Sinaia.
Friday 24th September. Day 3 - Sinaia to Predeal.
Saturday 25th September. Day 4 - Predeal to Brasov.

We don't know when the next tragedy like George will happen, hopefully never, but, just in case, come along and support this event - especially you rugby players out there. Help us raise the funds to be able to provide assistance to more injured rugby players in Romania. Sponsor the walk, sponsor a stage, you celebrities out there come and join us. Let's make it an annual event - something Romania can be proud of.

If you wish to support this superb effort, please donate through the Just Giving Button and reference your donation 'Romania' and we will ensure that your cash goes to help there.

 

JAN 28 - Annual Burns Supper - The Hilton Treetops Hotel, Aberdeen

Bill O' Fare

Champagne / Whisky Reception

Soup
Haggis
Rib-Eye Steak
Raspberry Cranachan
Cheese and Coffee

Half Bottle of Wine per Person
One Liquor after Dinner

FOLLOWED BY A CEILIDH TO THE BAND IRON BROO

SPEAKERS

CHAIRMAN - IAN McLAUCHLAN
TOAST TO THE HAGGIS AND HOLY WILLIE'S PRAYER - BRIAN ROSS

TOAST TO THE LASSIES – GEORGE McNEILL

REPLY – RHONA McLEOD

DRINKS RECEPTION - 6.45pm CARRIAGES AT 1.00am


£99 PER PERSON

TICKETS FROM: JIM TAYLOR - 0141 942 0187 jim.h.taylor@ntworld.com 
OR: jim.littlefair@heartsandballs.org.uk

 

(PAST) SEP 01 - National Quiz - Win your Club Two Thousand Five Hundred Pounds!

Hearts & Balls Quiz Nights Announced

 

Rugby Clubs can win £2,250

 

Hearts & Balls is giving rugby clubs the chance to win up to £2,250 at a series of quiz nights being held around the country during September, with a finals night at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Glasgow, in mid October.

 

These events are open to all quiz teams, not just rugby clubs and give a team a chance to win £250 on the night, and to then go on to the final to represent their chosen club, and the possibility of winning a further £2,000 for that club!

 

Entry will be £50 for a team of five people and numbers of participating teams are only restricted by the capacity of the venues.

 

Hearts & Balls Director Malcolm Gillies, said: “We are looking forward to running these events around the country, and whilst the prize of £250 on the night is attractive, there is the added incentive for every team participating to aim for the finals night where they can win £2000 for their club, at the same time know they are raising money to help injured players. This is the first of what we intend to be an annual event, and to become a staple on the rugby calendar.

 

They are sure to be good fun evenings and each night hosted by a rugby personality, and the final by Ian McLauchlan the SRU President.  Whilst the quiz is the serious business of the night, they will also be a chance to enjoy good company, meet a few personalities, have a bit of fun, and raise money for a good cause.”

 

The dates for the events are as follows:

Wednesday 1 September – Glasgow Accies RFC

Monday , 6 September – Howe of Fife RFC and Dumfries RFC

Wednesday, 8 September - Jed-Forest RFC and North Berwick RFC

Monday, 13 September - Highland RFC and Stirling County RFC

Wednesday, 15 September – Aberdeen GSFP and Whitecraigs RFC

 

Thursday, 21 October - Final at Radisson Blu Hotel, Glasgow.

 

To enter, or for further details contact

 

 

John Thorburn at john.thorburn@heartsandballs.org.uk or telephone 07929 655 132

or

Jim Taylor  at jim.h.taylor@ntworld.com or telephone 0141 942 0178.  

 

HELP US

Donate

To make a one-off donation, you can send a cheque payable to "The Hearts and Balls Charitable Trust" to:

Hearts and Balls
53 Craiglea Drive
Edinburgh
EH10 5PE

You can also donate online with Just Giving. Simply click on the Just Giving button, on the left-hand side of this page. Its payment systems are secure, and you can choose between a one-off donation or regular monthly contributions.

Join a fundraising event

We organise regular fundraising events and challenges – some of them energetic, others less so. Whether you prefer to walk 30-odd miles in the Scottish Borders or join a post-Six Nations party, you should find an event to your taste. See the News and Events section for details of forthcoming events.

Organise an event

You can also stage your own fundraising event. Please talk to us beforehand so we can check that the event is in line with our own standards and aims.

We can also send you a Hearts and Balls rugby shirt to raffle or auction. All we ask is that you raise a minimum of £100. Simply email us details, and we will send you a shirt and details of where and when to send your donation.

CAN WE HELP YOU?

Hearts and Balls offers a range of help to players and their families:

To apply for funding or other assistance from Hearts and Balls, simply email info@heartsandballs.com. Please tell us your details, and the support you are seeking, and we will contact you to discuss your application.

If the problem is urgent, you can also contact us at: 07976 126659

LINKS

CONTACT US

You can email Jim Littlefair at jim.littlefair@heartsandballs.org.uk or call on 07976 126659.