Jed-Forest rugby legend Roy Laidlaw hands over £3,000 to charity in memory of late wife Joy

Alistair Forsyth of the Murrayfield Injured Players' Foundation is presented by Roy, Lorna and David Laidlaw with a cheque for £3,000-plus at Jed-Forest's home ground. (Photo by Bill Murray/SNS Group)

The 67-year-old was joined by brother David and sister-in law Lorna, mum and dad of fellow Scotland captain Greig Laidlaw, at his former club Jed-Forest’s Riverside Park home ground to present that money to Murrayfield Injured Players’ Foundation regional representative Alistair Forsyth.

The foundation was set up in 1971 to help out Scottish players in Scotland facing hardship, often because injuries sustained on the field meant they could not work.

Ex-Jedburgh players helped out by the charity include John Cairncross and Eddie Renwick, both given long-term assistance after sustaining serious injuries on the pitch.

Before Joy, a mum of three and grandmother of six, died in May, she told her family she wanted any money raised in her momory to go to the foundation, and that wish has now been honoured.

“We discussed what to do with any money that we raised in Joy’s memory and she came up with supporting the foundation,” said Laidlaw.

“She was adamant that she wanted to help rugby because it had been such a part of her life.

“Our son Scott got help from the foundation when he was injured and she knew how much support had been given to Eddie Renwick.”

Laidlaw was capped for Scotland 47 times between 1980 and 1988 and played in four test matches for the British and Irish Lions on their 1983 tour of New Zealand.

He has been suffering from dementia for the last three years, though he only made his condition public last month, but he remains in good spirits thanks to support from family and friends including fellow former Scotland internationals John Rutherford, Gary Callander, Finlay Calder and Keith Robertson.

“I’ve got a wee job at Jedburgh Golf Club and that gets me out the house, and I have the odd game of the golf with the boys too,” he said.

Forsyth said: “We are most grateful to Roy and his family for this very generous donation.

“Times are tough for many charities just now, and it’s really appreciated that one of Scottish rugby’s favourite sons has helped us to continue to help our own.”