A CHARITY is urging people to honour Doddie Weir’s legacy and sign up for a fundraising event for research into motor neurone disease (MND).
The virtual mass-participation exercise event Doddie Aid, founded in 2020 by former Scotland captain Rob Wainwright, is set to start on New Year’s Day.
A memorial service was held on Monday for Weir, who died last month aged 52 following his six-year battle with MND.
Doddie Aid is the biggest annual fundraising event of the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation which Weir launched in 2017 to further research into the disease.
READ MORE: Doddie Weir legacy will be that we find a cure for MND - John Jeffrey
The Doddie Aid event splits participants into six districts, with the winning district being the one which covers the furthest distance over the duration of the six-week challenge, whether by walking, cycling, running, rowing, or anything else.
Jill Douglas, chief executive of the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation, said: “We are overwhelmed by the huge number of people who have already signed up for this year’s Doddie Aid.
“It’s a real testament to Doddie’s legacy that he has inspired so many people to make a difference and help others living with MND and to one day find a cure for this disease.
“Doddie Aid has become a regular and hugely popular way to kick off 2023. With over 9000 people already signed up, I think this will be the biggest Doddie Aid yet.”
Speaking at the memorial service in Melrose earlier this week, Rob Wainwright urged people to sign up to help “keep Doddie’s fundraising legacy alive”.
He said: “Actively nag your friends, your colleagues, your club, your school, your business and your family to get involved.
“If 50,000 people sign up, that’s £1 million for research. That is how we fulfil Doddie’s legacy, and that must be Doddie’s trophy.”
Doddie Aid has helped to raise more than £2 million for MND research, with more than 35,000 participants covering four million miles since its launch in 2020.
Former Scotland rugby players Andy Nicol and John Barclay are among those who have signed up to take part in 2023, as has Davy Zyw, who has been living with MND for four years and this year completed a 260-mile continuous cycle along some of Scotland’s highest roads.
Weir’s former teammate Scott Hastings said: “We have the brightest scientific minds who will find a cure for this disease, but the research needs resources and it needs funds – your funds.
“We will raise as much as we can until we can find a cure for MND.”
Anyone interested in taking part can find out more at https://doddieaid.com/about
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here