Edinburgh’s players are bristling with excitement after announcing they are planning to grow their facial hair to commemorate ‘Side-Burns’ Night; designed to raise funds for local charity, Maggie’s.

While the rest of Scotland will be gearing up to celebrate Burns Night, the nation’s top rugby team, including prop Geoff Cross (pictured), will be avoiding their razors in preparation for the grand shave off on Thursday 22 January.

But club captain Simon Cross stressed there was a serious theme behind the fun; helping the Maggie’s Centre in Edinburgh.

Cross said: “Last season we managed to raise some funds for charity by growing moustaches.

“So this year we thought we would be a bit different by growing side-burns instead because it ties up nicely with the 250th anniversary of Burns Night.

“It is all a bit of fun, but there is a serious cause behind it and we are proud to be able to play our part in raising funds for Maggie’s; a very worthwhile cause.”

Maggie's Edinburgh is located at Western General Hospital in Edinburgh and opened in 1996.

A Maggie’s Centre is a place to turn to for help with any of the problems, small or large, associated with cancer.
 
Maggie’s spokesperson Marion Taylor said: “What a fun way to raise money for Maggie's by Edinburgh Rugby – it is a great way to start the New Year while raising money for a fantastic cause.

“The centre relies completely on fundraising and this year all the generous donations have resulted in 19,000 visits to Maggie’s Edinburgh - each of these people coming in for practical, emotional and physiological support designed to help them find their own best way of living with a diagnosis of cancer.”

Any supporters wishing to support the cause are reminded that collections will be taking place at the forthcoming Heineken Cup match against Castres at Murrayfield (16 January, kick off 7.30pm).

Maggie’s model of support empowers people to live with, through and beyond cancer.
Maggie’s Centres offer a programme of practical, emotional and psychological support to people with cancer, their families, friends and carers. Maggie’s is support is free of charge and operates on a drop-in basis.
There are currently five existing centres in Scotland – Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dundee, Highlands and Fife – and an interim service in Lanarkshire. New centres are planned for Lanarkshire and a second centre in Glasgow.

Maggie’s London opened in April 2008 and further centres are planned for Oxford, Cotswolds, Nottingham, Swansea and Newcastle.