A big-hearted Cessnock businessman donated 140 t-shirts to Yorkhill Hospital Kidney Renal Unit’s multi-medal winning team for their succesful trip to this year’s Transplant Games.

Plasterer Davie Mitchell, who has an established family building maintenance company in Harley Street, got in touch with the hospital after hearing an appeal on Radio Clyde.

Mr Mitchell said, ‘I was driving along and I heard it on the wireless. I thought, ‘If we can’t get the kids some t-shirts for their trip then it’s a bad day.’ We try to help out where we can.’Reacting to the team’s success, he added, ‘They didn’t half do well. They should be very proud of themselves, and if they need any help next year, give me a phone.’

The team, with ages ranging between 11 and 17, won a staggering eighteen medals at the games, held in the grounds of Bath University. They come from all over Scotland, but have all at one time been patients at Yorkhill’s Renal Unit. The medal haul consists of nine golds, one silver and eight bronzes.

One of this year’s team is bronze medallist Emma Baxter, who had a kidney transplant. Emma (17), from Cathcart, is a pupil at Holyrood Secondary School.

Emma, who competed for the last time this year as the upper age limit is 18, said that she was most looking forward to the gala dinner, but admitted, ‘I quite like the running too!’

Emma added, ‘I’ve had a brilliant time taking part in the Games. You push yourself, you achieve new things and you meet other people in the same situation as you, but you have such a great time too!’

Allan Lynn is a former nurse at Yorkhill and accompanies the team on their trips to the Games, which have been held every year since 1978.

Allan said, ‘All the other hospitals always had their own t-shirts but we looked poor. It’s good because now people will know where we’re from. They always ask because we’re one of the smallest teams, but we always make the most noise. Our motto is ‘loud and proud.’

He added, ‘It’s an amazing experience for the kids. The whole field is filled with people who are alive because of kidney transplants. It’s quite a humbling experience for us too.’