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West End rugby stars hide their Christmas baubles to bare all for charity calendar

Scotland international rugby star Sean Lamont steps up to the mark to help GHK rugby club raise £20,000 for three good causes.

Now we know why rugby players like to drink pints - to hide their tackle.

The latest charity calendar sees the stars of Anniesland-based GHK rugby club baring all for three good causes.

And none other than Scottish international and Glasgow Warriors star Sean Lamont is the cover boy for the club's eye-watering offering.

The 105 cap and 105kg winger, who is one of Scotland’s most capped stars, is a coach at the old Anniesland rugby club.

He decided to lend the boys a helping hand as they set an ambitious target to raise more than £20,000 for charity.

All funds raised from the sales of the cheeky Christmas stocking filler will be split between the Beatson cancer charity, Hearts & Balls - a charity which supports rugby players who suffer life changing injuries - and Breast Cancer Care.

Dawn Ferguson, corporate partnerships fundraiser at Beatson Cancer Charity, said: “We are very grateful to GHK rugby club for choosing Beatson Cancer Charity as one of the beneficiaries of the funds raised from this exclusive calendar.

“Their generosity will have a direct impact on thousands of cancer patients and their families, both now and in the future, through the dedicated work of the charity.”

GHK captain Hugh Parker features prominently alongside his far from bashful teammates.

The back-row forward said: “it’s an old cliché but rugby players really do like to get naked – why wouldn’t we try to make some money for charity out of it?

“There’s a fantastic community around GHK rugby club.

"We are extremely grateful for the support from businesses across Glasgow who have very kindly chipped in to sponsor months.

Hearts and Balls chair Kenny Hamilton:

“This is a very fun and good spirited way of supporting our charity.

“We greatly appreciate the efforts of clubs that raise funds to assist us in our support of rugby players who need additional help because of life-changing injury."

"This has helped us cover the costs so that every penny we raise goes to the charities who are close to our hearts.

“It’s the perfect Christmas gift and I hope people will dig deep this year and donate. We hope all the hard work in the gym was worth it!"

GHK rugby club will continue their commitment to charity with another fundraising dinner on May 4 next year, at which Sean Lamont will be one of the guests of honour. The inaugural event in 2016, combined with efforts at the Royal Bank of Scotland Kiltwalk, saw more than £6k be donated to Hearts and Balls.

“This is a very fun and good spirited way of supporting our charity”, said Hearts and Balls chair Kenny Hamilton.

“We greatly appreciate the efforts of clubs that raise funds to assist us in our support of rugby players who need additional help because of life-changing injury.

"It does not happen often, but we want to make sure that the right kind of support is available to players, and their families, when it does. “

Meanwhile, the club has also chosen to celebrate charities on match days. The first of these events saw the first XV wearing pink socks to raise a near four figure sum for Breast Cancer Care and there’s a similar event planned for Beatson cancer charity in the new year.

Rona Grierson, Community Fundraising Manager with Breast Cancer Care thinks GHK rugby club’s support has been “amazing” this year.

“We are so grateful to the boys,” she said. “The money that they are raising will go support people with breast cancer and will allow us to help them come to terms with what can be a life changing diagnosis.”

* You can look at naked rugby players all year round, and make a difference to three very worthwhile charities by clicking the link below or by visiting Singl-end, Eusebi’s deli, The Barber Too or a number of other retailers across Glasgow’s West End.

http://m.virginmoneygiving.com/mt/uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-web/fundraiser/showFundraiserProfilePage.action?userUrl=ghkcalendar2017&isTeam=true&un_jtt_redirect

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