Football Historian Scores a Big Win for Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland 

A Kilmacolm Football Club stalwart has raised £700 for Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland after documenting the club’s history. 

Former goalkeeper Jim Barr came up with the idea for his book when he was in the Golden Jubilee Hospital in Glasgow after a knee operation in 2016.

Jim, aged 90 and from Bridge of Weir, said: “I read an article from local councillor David Wilson and he was praising Birkmyre Rugby Club for getting promoted out of the sixth division. That was wonderful for them but I never remembered anyone praising Kilmacolm Football Club when in one year they won the West of Scotland Cup, Scottish Amateur Coronation Cup and the Second Division. The following year they won the First Division, a feat achieved only three times in the history of the Scottish Amateur Football League. So that made me determined to write a book to cover their history which in a hundred years’ time may be a precious antique.” 

After “getting serious” about the book in 2023 the book went to the printers in May 2024. The decision to donate the proceeds to Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland was a simple one for Jim after he had several TIAs before the book went to print. 

He explained: “Me and my daughter had worked a lot on the book for a long time and it went to print on the Monday morning and I had a TIA later that evening and I’m fairly sure it was due to stress. 

“Having decided to give the money to CHSS I used your Advice Line and and I spoke to a Kindness Caller and they were absolutely magnificent with me because I was as sick as a dog. I was terrified because the TIA left me talking rubbish. 

“Between the Advice Line and the pack, I was glad I raised money for CHSS. They’ve an excellent shop in Kilmacolm. I went in and spoke to Pauline Reynoso and said I was quite happy to give them the takings from the book and we took it from there. I had tremendous support from people writing the book, buying the book and I had great support from CHSS.  

“I’d also like to thank Colin Love the fishmonger, Gordon Ram the local butcher, the local pub; Carriages, and the local newsagents in the village who sold copies of the book on our behalf and created a real buzz locally.” 

Louise MacLeod, the Community, Events and Corporate Fundraiser for Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland said: “We thank Jim for his excellent efforts in writing this book and for his extreme generosity in providing CHSS with the proceeds. 

“The money raised from this book will help us to support the 1 in 5 people across the country who are living with chest, heart and stroke conditions and Long Covid to live their lives to the full.”  

To find out more about fundraising for Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland please go to www.chss.org.uk/supportus/fundraise-for-us/.  

If you’re living with the effects of a chest, heart or stroke condition or Long Covid and looking for advice and information, please contact Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland’s Advice Line on 0808 801 0899. You can also text ADVICE to 66777 or email adviceline@chss.org.uk.