Star boot sale to help Sick Kids

Published on Tuesday 7 March 2006 14:20

SCOTS sports stars have donated a treasure trove of memorabilia to be auctioned off to raise money for the Sick Kids Drop-In Centre appeal.

Scotland rugby legend Chris Paterson and Olympic gold-medal-winning cyclist Chris Hoy have agreed to part with items of their kit for a charity auction to help raise the 100,000 needed to set up the centre for the families of sick children in Edinburgh.

The sporting duo are the first of what organisers hope will be many sports personalities to donate items for an auction later this month in aid of the Evening News-backed Sick Kids Friends Foundation's Drop-in Centre Appeal.

Acclaimed Scotland winger Chris Paterson, who has been capped for his country 62 times, has donated the rugby boots he wore while scoring penalties against the Auld Enemy during his team's Calcutta Cup win a week ago.

And cycling star Chris Hoy, who is in Australia engaged in the final stages of training for the Commonwealth Games, has promised to donate a signed cycling shirt from the race for the auction.

Meanwhile, sports label Adidas, which sponsors Chris Paterson, has also pledged to donate a British Lions rugby shirt towards the appeal.

The event is being held on March 23, when around 200 men are expected to turn up for the first ever Boys' Bash, being held at Jongleurs comedy club in the Omni Centre on Greenside Place.

Inspired by the highly successful women's event in aid of the foundation called Girly Get Togethers, the evening will include pub grub, pitchers of beer and a fundraising sports quiz.

Model and charity campaigner Lois Weatherup, who was Miss Scotland in 2004, is also lined up to attend.

Carolyn Thornton, a Sick Kids Friends Foundation fundraiser, said she was keeping everything crossed that Chris Hoy's donated shirt would come from another golden victory.

The 29-year-old former George Watson's pupil is aiming to lift his second gold medal for Scotland when he races on March 16, adding to his array of trophies. These include two Olympic medals - gold in the Athens Olympics in 2004 and silver in Sydney in 2000; nine World Championships - four gold, two silver and three bronze; a gold and silver at Commonwealth Games level; and 22 World Cup medals, 13 of them gold.

She said: "I've told him: 'No pressure, but we'd love a picture of you wearing that shirt with a gold medal round your neck!'"

Chris Paterson, who has agreed to part with his so-called "golden boots" following the Six Nations campaign, said: "I am delighted to help the Sick Kids Friends Foundation by donating the boots that helped us defeat England."

Ms Thornton added that it was hoped the Boys' Bash would become an annual fixture.

The Boys' Bash: A Pint-Full of Questions is being held at Jongleurs on March 23 from 7.30pm. Tickets are priced at 25 and all proceeds will go towards the Sick Kids Friends Foundation Drop-In Centre Appeal. The centre will be the first of its kind in a paediatric hospital in the UK, giving advice and support to under-pressure families.

The new centre will be similar in style to Maggie's Centre, which helps cancer sufferers and their families at the Western General.