PICTURES: Centenary celebrations and fundraising at Highland Rugby Football Club generates nearly £12,500 for charity
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GENEROUS Highland rugby players and supporters have helped to raise almost £12,500 for good causes to mark their club's centenary year.
Highland Rugby Football Club has donated £12,450 to three charities having spent its centenary year in 2022 engaged in fundraising activity.
That year saw members of the club doing everything from cycling 100 miles for 100 years to organising the club’s first ever Highland Beer, Gin and Whisky Festival and Inverness City 7s which took place over the Platinum Jubilee weekend.
A sum of £4150 was presented to each of Highland RFC’s chosen charities for its centenary year – Mikeysline, Alzheimer Scotland and My Name’5 Doddie.
Speaking about the fundraising, Roy Dinnes, president of Highland RFC, said: “It feels extremely rewarding to present these cheques to Mikeysline, Alzheimer Scotland and My Name’5 Doddie. These are three deserving charities, all very close to our hearts.
“Our centenary year was very special, not only to take time to look back at our proud history at the Club but also to bring our players and volunteers together to raise money and donate time for charities and community groups in the area.
“I would like to extend a very big thank you to everyone who contributed to our centenary celebrations last year.
"Whether you came along to support the Highland Beer, Gin and Whisky Festival and Inverness City 7s or you helped us place 100 rugby balls in parks around the region to encourage people to play rugby, or donated Christmas presents to the MFR Cash for Kids Mission Christmas Appeal – thank you so much.”
Other highlights from Highland RFC’s centenary year celebrations included a Highland 100 exhibition at Inverness Museum; a 100th anniversary dinner and charity auction; a special weekend of rugby at La Baule in France – twinned with Inverness since 1981 and where the rugby club was celebrating its 50th anniversary. Another highlight was a bottle of 29-year-old Balblair whisky, generously donated by leading malt whisky specialist Gordon & MacPhail, housed in a bespoke bronze plinth created exclusively for Highland RFC by fine art, architectural and memorial bronze foundry Black Isle Bronze which now has pride of place at Highland RFC’s clubhouse at Canal Park.
A commemorative book, looking back at the highlights of 100 years of Highland RFC was also produced and sold out just after the end of the year.
