Rugby for Peace success in Carluke

Parish groups across Scotland have been supporting SCIAF in different ways this year. This includes fundraising across communities, holding SCIAF talks and screening our new documentary ‘Rugby for Peace’. 

In their own words, Marion O’Hara and Karen Berry from St Athanasius in Carluke explain how screening the Rugby for Peace documentary was such a success in their parish. 

Our parish has long supported SCIAF over the years. We have held regular Advent and Lenten missions, supporting the Real Gifts and WEE BOX appeals as well as any emergency appeals. 

The main highlight for us this year was when Mark Camburn (SCIAF Programme Officer) came to the parish to show us what SCIAF has been doing in Latin America, specifically the Rugby for Peace project in Colombia. 

We were delighted to be able to host a screening of this wonderful film at St. Athanasius in Carluke.  

We approached our ladies’ group, and they were very interested in hosting the event at their meeting and hearing about this marvellous project. Invitations were given out in the parish and to Christians visiting the parish from other churches in the area. 

Suffice to say the response to the film was one of awe. Comments received included that the film was very ‘humbling’ and ‘uplifting’. 

To see young adults helping children learn life skills through the five pillars of rugby and children committing to their team, playing barefoot with huge smiles. It was great to see the participants proudly saying that they learned if they fell, got a bit hurt or were knocked down they must learn to get back up again and work towards their goals. This is a lesson that they would apply to their everyday life. It was so inspiring and evoked emotions in everyone watching the film.  

Given all the serious problems not only from poverty, climate change and global pandemics but very real threats of violence, to see their positive attitude was just incredible.  These children had hope for the future.    

When showing this film in Carluke we could witness the good that SCIAF is doing in often forgotten areas of the world.  Such was the response from those attending we collected £325 on the evening in donations from a relatively small group of people. 

Thank you to Marion and Karen for taking the time to write this article and to all at St Athanasius. If you would like to arrange a screening of Rugby for Peace or a parish visit, please email getinvolved@sciaf.org.uk or call us on 0141 354 5555.