The Hearts and Balls Charitable Trust

The Hearts and Balls Charitable Trust Helping rugby helps its own

The Hearts + Balls Charitable Trust
Registered in Scotland No SC240234
Scottish Charity No SC033927. ICO – Reg. No. ZB669303

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 the

ir 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? on www.heartsandballs.org.uk 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. Same web address.

“Hearts and Balls is totally committed to helping our seriously-injured rugby friends enjoy the quality of life that their tragic injuries have dictated they must now lead. Rugby is a game that many of us have taken a huge amount from, and it is only right that we now combine to put something back in. I encourage you all to support Hearts and Balls’ excellent work.”

Gavin Hastings (Watsonians, Scotland, Barbarians, and British Lions)
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. The Hearts and Balls Charitable Trust • Registered in Scotland No SC240234 Scottish Charity No SC033927
Regd Office: Caledonian Exchange, 19A Canning St., Edinburgh EH3 8HE

24/08/2026

📆 Our fixtures for the Arnold Clark Men’s Premiership 2026/27

⚫️⚪️

Fancy stepping out across Edinburgh to raise funds for Hearts + Balls? The capital Kiltwalk is just over a month away. W...
09/08/2026

Fancy stepping out across Edinburgh to raise funds for Hearts + Balls? The capital Kiltwalk is just over a month away. We’re delighted that these ⬇️ amazing souls have already pledged their steps to our charity. Check out their stories:

Eve & Olivia Robertson - walking in memory of their grandad and ex int Dougie Jackson
https://www.justgiving.com/page/eve-robertson-8?utm_medium=FR&utm_source=CL

Sven and Heather Mertens
https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/svenmertens-1777017050008

and a number of our Hearts + Balls MB players corralled by Dylan Russell
https://www.justgiving.com/page/hbmb-kiltwalk?utm_medium=FR&utm_source=CL

Let us know if you’re joining the ranks 👣 and we’ll be delighted to promote your fundraising page.

Every donation, of whatever size, will continue to help us to help rugby help its own. Check out our Hearts and Balls Charitable Trust branded film 🎥 to see how that money translates into real assistance - https://youtu.be/hQFrhBxAvO4.

Thank you 🙏

Hawick RFC Sven Mertens Eve Elizabeth

Ready for a capital charity challenge? We’re looking for a squadron of strollers to join the Edinburgh Kiltwalk, to rais...
29/07/2026

Ready for a capital charity challenge? We’re looking for a squadron of strollers to join the Edinburgh Kiltwalk, to raise funds for Hearts and Balls. If you and any family, friends or foot soldiers from your rugby club would consider taking part to help our charity, drop us a DM - we’ll be delighted to promote your fundraising page far and wide!

We already have a platoon of charitable souls registered to step out in September including:

Eve & Olivia Robertson - walking in memory of their grandad and ex int Dougie Jackson
https://www.justgiving.com/page/eve-robertson-8?utm_medium=FR&utm_source=CL

Sven and Heather Mertens
https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/svenmertens-1777017050008

and a number of our Hearts + Balls MB players corralled by Dylan Russell
https://www.justgiving.com/page/hbmb-kiltwalk?utm_medium=FR&utm_source=CL

Let us know if you’re joining the ranks 👣 and we’ll be delighted to promote your fundraising page.

If you’re interested in raising funds for a Scottish rugby charity at any other time of the year, please drop us a DM 💻 with any ideas you may have. We welcome new opportunities to 🔗 into clubs and the rugby community who are vital to our fundraising across Scotland.

Every donation, of whatever size, will continue to help us to help rugby help its own. Check out our Hearts and Balls Charitable Trust branded film 🎥 to see how that money translates into real assistance - https://youtu.be/hQFrhBxAvO4.

Thank you 🙏

The end of the Hearts + Balls MB summer season heralded a quartet of goodbyes with head honcho Dylan Russell, Women’s ca...
28/07/2026

The end of the Hearts + Balls MB summer season heralded a quartet of goodbyes with head honcho Dylan Russell, Women’s captain Rachel Law, coach Andrew Whitelaw and MB founder, Euan David Murray Bowen all hanging up their well-worn boots.

Dylan has been the driving force on and off the field for Hearts + Balls MB rugby for over 10 years - after four years of managing the Mighty Bovs he then took on Hearts+Balls MB in 2020. In addition, he’s personally raised over £15,000 for the charity via numerous events - most recently he’s signed up for the 2026 Edinburgh Kiltwalk and is encouraging the players to join him.

The effervescent scrum half and captain, Rachel Law, has led from the front since first getting involved in 2021 when the women’s team was created. A great ambassador, on and off the field, she’s been a vital part of establishing and growing the Women’s team.

Euan Bowen founded the Mighty Bovs while at university in 2013 - because his home club didn’t play 7s. He became captain in 2020 and, off the field, has been responsible for many of the great graphics promoting the team on socials and beyond. His company HIT Ltd (Head Impact Trauma Ltd) is also a valued sponsor of the teams.

Coming on board in 2022 as coach, Andrew Whitelaw has also undertaken a myriad of team tasks in the interim - washer of team kit, runner of Wednesday night training, new player recruiter and gazebo mover, to name but a few.

Hugh Dan MacLennan, Chair of The Hearts and Balls Charitable Trust said: “We can’t thank these four valued individuals enough for the amazing contributions they’ve made - both on the pitch and off - to our charity over the years.

“Their legacies - from all four different perspectives - are enormous and, collectively, they’ll be a hard act to follow. To their credit, they leave the team in a great place, both from a results and organisational perspective.”

Director Willie Bell added, “Dylan, Rachel, Euan and Andy are a great bunch of individuals and my personal thanks goes to them all for the immense impact they’ve made helping us to help rugby in helping its own.”

Everyone at Hearts + Balls and the wider Hearts + Balls community would like to thank Dylan, Rachel, Euan and Andrew for all their efforts and wish them all the very best for the future.

Armac Veterinary Group FirstPoint USA

27/07/2026

Great work guys at Oak & Black - many thanks for your support of our charity

Vice chair finds new career as chef! Willie cooks burgers shocker!
24/07/2026

Vice chair finds new career as chef! Willie cooks burgers shocker!

24/07/2026

Today’s office for The Hearts and Balls Charitable Trust

The Ally Logan Charity Golf Day has teed off! ⛳️ Raising vital funds for Hearts & Balls and Prostate Scotland. It’s alwa...
24/07/2026

The Ally Logan Charity Golf Day has teed off! ⛳️ Raising vital funds for Hearts & Balls and Prostate Scotland. It’s always a great day—let’s hope the weather is kind to us! ☀️

Cast your mind back to last year’s Edinburgh Kiltwalk and one determined Eve Elizabeth Robertson who stepped out to rais...
23/07/2026

Cast your mind back to last year’s Edinburgh Kiltwalk and one determined Eve Elizabeth Robertson who stepped out to raise funds for Hearts and Balls to honour her late cousin, Richard.

It was the fourth time she’d taken on the challenge and after 22 miles, at the finish line, swore it would be the last. Until….this year, when she’s walking the walk once more, this time in memory of her much-loved grandad, WD ‘Dougie’ Jackson who played for Hawick, won eight Scotland international caps on the wing and was president of Hawick RFC.

What made her want to lace up the trainers again, then?

“I’ve decided this will be my fifth and final Kiltwalk,” Eve says, “and my sister wanted to come along for the journey, as we did the very first one together.

“The fact this will definitely be my last one is a brilliant memory to keep, especially as I’ll be walking with my sister, Olivia,” she adds.

You can support Eve and Olivia to raise funds for Hearts and Balls by going to their Just Giving page here: https://www.justgiving.com/page/eve-robertson-8?utm_medium=FR&utm_source=CL

Meanwhile, does she have a message of encouragement for others thinking of stepping out at Edinburgh Kiltwalk?

“Just keep pushing!” she enthuses. “The staff and other walkers will get you through.”

And if anyone reading this needs more encouragement to go to their page and donate, click on the reel here for a message from Olivia, from the heart 🫶

Address

Caledonian Exchange, 19A Canning Street
Edinburgh
EH38HE

Telephone

+447768051340

Website

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