Purple Reign: Beasties Back the Royal Breast Fund for Ladies Day

1st Graders Jack Nelson-Murray, George Gibson and Nick Grigg wear the commemorative puple jersey.

By Angus Hayman

Don’t be shocked when the Beasties march out at 3:05pm this Saturday at Woollahra Oval sporting a new shade of purple.

The Easts First Grade side will swap their familiar colours for a never-before-seen purple edition jersey when they take on Sydney Uni, with the special strips to be auctioned after the game in support of the Royal Breast Fund (RBF) at the Royal Hospital for Women.

And while purple might look a little foreign on the Beasties, the reason behind it could not be more fitting for Ladies’ Day.

This Saturday’s annual celebration will raise money for the RBF, a grassroots initiative dedicated to improving breast services at the Royal Hospital for Women, the only women’s hospital left in New South Wales.

For Ali Handley, a member of the RBF board, the cause began much closer to home.

In true Eastern Suburbs fashion Handley met Sarah Forsyth at her own pilates studio. But this was no ordinary hot matt small talk, as Forsyth approached Handley about bringing together a group of women passionate about ensuring women receive the very best breast care in a public hospital. 

That conversation became the RBF. 

Handley, alongside Lauren Kozica, Tala Bennett, Gemma McFarland, Clementine Rutledge and Anna Solomon, set out to create something that went beyond simply hosting lunches and raising money. 

“We wanted to really make it about connecting into the community,” Handley said.

The RBF is deliberately grassroots. Rather than being a national charity, its focus is on supporting the hospital serving women in the local community and making sure fundraising has a tangible impact.

That was certainly the case with last year’s efforts.

After Ladies’ Day and a later fundraiser at North Bondi Fish, the RBF raised enough money to purchase two critical pieces of equipment used in surgery at the Royal.

This year, the target is just as tangible: funding additional breast care nurses.

Those nurses play a crucial role in supporting women through what can be one of the most vulnerable periods of their lives, helping guide them through their treatment and care beyond the operating theatre.

And for Handley, there was arguably no better place to bring the cause to life than Easts.

The club is not just somewhere she happens to raise money, it is part of her family history.

Her father, Dick Handley, was a member of the 1969 Easts premiership side, the team that ended a decades-long wait for the club’s next First Grade title.

The 1969 Premiership Team. Dick Handley is far right, back row.

Now, Handley believes she is watching the beginning of another golden period at Woollahra Oval.

“I feel like the club and the energy at the club has never been higher,” she said.

That connection between club, community and cause is precisely why Handley describes Easts as the “perfect vehicle” for the RBF.

The Royal Hospital for Women serves the community around the club, while Easts provides a place where that same community can come together, enjoy a day of rugby and contribute to something bigger.

And there will be plenty of ways to do exactly that this Saturday.

Alongside the Ladies’ Luncheon, RBF and Easts merchandise will be available, while supporters can donate for entry to the RBF VIP Deck and enjoy one of the best views of the action.

Then there are those purple jerseys.

After First Grade’s final whistle, the commemorative strips will go under the hammer, giving supporters the chance to take home a unique piece of East's history while helping fund breast care nurses at the Royal.

It is a pretty good reason to forgive the Beasties for temporarily abandoning the blue. Because if Ladies’ Day wasn’t already the perfect excuse to fill Woollahra Oval, dress up, enjoy a few drinks and cheer on the Beasties against Sydney Uni, now there is an even better reason to be there.

Purchase your ticket to the Ladies Day Luncheon here. Or tickets to game day here.