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

Ian McLauchlan
Ian McLauchlan is a former Scotland captain who played for the Barbarians and toured with the British and Irish Lions in 1971 and 1974 playing in all 8 Tests. He is chairman of The Lions Trust and the Scotland Ambassador for SOS Kit Aid a charity which collects unwanted rugby gear for distribution to Eastern Europe or Africa to help promote rugby in a wide variety of nations.

He joined the Board of Hearts and Balls to assist those less fortunate than himself and has a simple goal to continue to promote the game of rugby and to help to make it as safe as possible.

Malcolm Gillies
My rugby playing career never reached the heights, I was too busy enjoying life and building a business (plus lacking the basic talent - if the truth be told), but I did gain a wealth of friends, and a respect for not just the game, but of the support the rugby community gives to each other.

I was President at Lismore when the phone rang, and the message I never wanted to hear came down the line, of the injury to Struan.  There followed a steep learning curve, for me, for the club, and for his family.  The rugby community rallied round, as I never doubted they would, and from this came contacts from others similarly affected, and gradually the recognition with others of a need and a wish to put something more permanent in place, based in rugby, not just financial, enabling the vast and willing community of rugby to assist and work together for the benefit of those who have suffered injury.

Whilst I have indeed been fortunate in being able to put something back into rugby, still being actively involved at SRU and 6 Nations level, my proudest contribution is ongoing, with my fellow directors at Hearts and Balls, in Helping Rugby Help its Own.

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:

• Murrayfield Centenary Fund
• New Zealand Rugby Foundation
• Sportsman's Charity
• Hearts in Union-Australia

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.

Hearts and Balls Strategies- Going Forward

Background

Hearts and Balls has now been in existence for almost 10 years and in that time we have grown in profile, financial strength and impact in the rugby and wider community.

We set out to help players and families who had been impacted by catastrophic injury and our assistance was generally financial or focused around appeal advice. Over recent years we have developed knowledge around a number of other issues such as equipment, counselling and contacts and have been able to impart this to those who need it most.

We have also extended our reach to include assistance to those in the rugby community impacted by serious illness or bereavement and this additional strand of our reach has been welcomed by those we have been able to help at times when they are most vulnerable.

The treatment and care of those who have suffered catastrophic injury has improved significantly over the past 10 years and the need for our financial assistance at the time of injury or after could be seen to have decreased.

Given our raised profile, improved financial strength and ability to deliver greater impact (this includes geographic reach) this paper sets out draft strategies in three areas: purpose, fund raising and finance and donation strategy.

Purpose
Hearts and Balls exists to help rugby help its own. It's main loci are:

• Players and families impacted by catastrophic injury
• Families and players impacted by bereavement or serious illness.

It interventions can be advisory or financial.

We operate across geographical, political and social boundaries and are not tied to any one Country, Union or other organisation.

Fund raising and finance
We are staffed by volunteers and do not (at this point in time) see a case for employment of staff in either a part time or full time role.

We will run 3-5 events per year under our direct management. These include the "Hearts and Balls at the Jamhouse" which takes place during the Six Nations Championship, a summer event and a Burns Supper in Aberdeen.

We will use third party events to generate funds for Hearts and Balls and we will support these third parties by providing merchandise, raffle items, items of support (wristbands and badges). We will continue to build profile with these third party benefactors through regular communication and input into events and programmes at schools, clubs and other organisations.

We will manage our funds in accordance with good governance and utilise services such as the Scottish Community Foundation as appropriate and as agreed by the Board of the charity.

We will always have sufficient funds available as to be able to meet sudden requests for immediate assistance of an individual or family.

Donation Strategy
Our donation strategy has two strands:

Tactical:
We will offer assistance to those who have been impacted by recent catastrophic injury and this can take the form of a variety of purposes including travel costs, equipment or any other reasonable expense.

We will support those who have been impacted by serious illness. This can include travel costs, holiday/ respite funding, funeral costs or any other reasonable expense.

Strategic:
Our growth in financial strength allows us to set a long term strategy of supporting the education and career development of those impacted by catastrophic injury.

This assistance can take the form of the purchase of equipment or learning support such as our funding of the upgrade of the internet provision at Glasgow Southern Hospital's Spinal Injuries Unit.

It can also take the form of bursaries, support packages or funding of educational programmes for impacted players to assist them to gain new skills and progress in their chosen career. We will look to develop a strategy comprising 1-2 programmes in partnership with others that offer educational opportunities to those impacted through catastrophic injury in the next 6-12 months.

Allied to this will be an open drive to encourage employers to look for opportunities for players who have been impacted by catastrophic injury and we will partner with other organisations to ensure that opportunities are available and accessible to these individuals.

Summary
Quite simply, we exist to help rugby help its own. The day we serve no purpose is the day we will cease to exist.