Foundation to ensure 'Voice of Rugby' Bill McLaren will echo forever

The charity was conceived long before the famous commentator from Hawick passed away last month and so he was aware of the idea behind it and fully supported the concept. The Foundation finally received its charity registration last month, just days after McLaren died at the age of 86, allowing the trustees to go public with their plans.

The Foundation has been driven by John Thorburn, the Hawick RFC secretary, Brian Renwick, a former Hawick skipper and now a rugby development manager, and Linda Lawson, Bill's surviving daughter, along with its chairman Malcolm Murray, Hawick historian Ian Landles, Hawick solicitor Sandy Bannerman and legendary Scotland internationalists Andy Irvine and John Rutherford.

Mrs Lawson, who is married to former Scotland scrum-half Alan Lawson and whose son Rory is a Scotland internationalist, explained the reasoning behind the Foundation and expressed the hope that her father's charity could be used to help develop the same sporting ethos and sheer love of rugby that he instilled as a PE teacher and tried to encourage as a television commentator.

She explained: "We wanted to carry on the good things that dad felt were special about rugby, which we all share.

"It started really with a meeting between John and Brian and myself in a coffee shop in Hawick, where they told me of their ideas to create a legacy that would continue all the good things that were important to dad, and I thought straight away that that was something the family should be involved with. We spoke about things like discipline, determination, honesty, hard work, sportsmanship, loyalty and fairness.

"What pleases me most I think is that dad was able to be aware of it before he died. Of course his reaction was predictable, and he wondered why on earth anybody would be interested in him, but while he was very special to us as a family and friends we didn't realise until recent weeks how special he was to so many other people around the world.

"I just hope that we can make him as proud of us as we are of him."

The whole McLaren family is involved in the project with grandsons Alex Thompson and Gregor Lawson working on the website and marketing and James Thompson, the Scotland 'A' internationalist, helping yesterday at its launch.

Thorburn said: "Both myself and Brian are former pupils of Bill's, like a lot of people in and around Hawick, and we know the depth of feeling there is for Bill. We felt that that, the work he put into the game and the difference he made, could be used for the good of rugby in the future. It was great when Linda agreed and it is good to see it now reach this point, where it can really start to grow. It started with us talking about something in Hawick and the Borders, but even before Bill died it became obvious that this Foundation has the potential to become nationwide and worldwide."

The Foundation is starting out with three clear aims: to develop and promote the sport of rugby union and its values, to encourage and provide sporting opportunities for young people, to create an educative centre which will include the Bill McLaren Archive, hopefully with bases in Hawick and Edinburgh. Aware that a number of individuals and groups have been keen to recognise the passing of McLaren, the Foundation has also stated that it would happy to support fundraising events around the world through dinners, events, auctions and the reproduction of replica copies of Bill's big sheets.

The Scottish Rugby Union has also pledged to help to develop the legacy. The media area within Murrayfield Stadium is already named the 'Bill McLaren Press Deck' and features pictures of the commentating maestro at work, and next Thursday the stadium will play host to a unique tribute night, looking back on the life of 'The Voice of Rugby'.

It is a free event and there will be free commemorative programmes. The gates will be open from 5pm with the tribute starting at 6.30pm. In an event led by another the BBC's Dougie Donnelly, Scotland's new cap centurion Chris Paterson, Irvine and former captain Gavin Hastings will be joined by one of McLaren's favourite players of all-time, Welsh winger Gerald Davies, and Hawick's leading internationalists Hugh McLeod, Colin Deans, Jim Renwick and Tony Stanger.

Sponsors that have already signed up to help build the Foundation include The Famous Grouse, Scottish Widows and Johnstons Cashmere, and Andy Irvine urged rugby supporters far and wide to play their part in developing the McLaren legacy.

He added: "All of the trustees are proud to be involved with Bill's Foundation and to help it achieve so much that will bring opportunity and benefit to young people in sport. I urge the rugby community and anyone who took pleasure from Bill's commentaries to support the memory and aspirations of this great rugby man."

More information and the opportunity to donate online can be found at www.billmclarenfoundation.co.uk or through the Just Giving website at www.justgiving.com/billmclarenfoundation. Alternatively, cheques can be sent to his hometown club, Hawick RFC, to: The Bill McLaren Foundation, Mansfield Park , Mansfield Road , Hawick TD9 8AW .

More info: www.billmclarenfoundation.co.uk