Doddie Weir charity raises more than £2m in first six weeks of 2023

dailyrecord.co.uk:

More than £2 million has been raised by fundraisers including Lewis Capaldi and Ewan McGregor in honour of Doddie Weir. Around 40,000 people are thought to have been part of the six weeks of running, rowing and riding for the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation, set up by the Scots rugby legend.Doddie passed away in November after a battle with motor neurone disease (MND).A host of big names worldwide pledged to do their bit to boost the coffers of Doddie's charity - with people taking part in the fundraiser including Olympians Dame Katherine Grainger and Sir Chris Hoy, actors McGregor and Ryan Reynolds, musician Capaldi and television stars Jason Fox and Gabby Logan, as well as a host of rugby stars past and present.The mass participation event, called Doddie Aid, takes place over the first six weeks of every year from January 1.Organisers say this year’s fundraising total is double last year’s figure.More than £4 million has been raised as a direct result of Doddie Aid since the event was founded by former Scotland rugby captain Rob Wainwright.The 2023 event came to its conclusion when Wainwright and a team of rugby stars transported the match ball for the Doddie Weir Cup – Scotland’s Six Nations fixture against Wales last weekend – from Cardiff to Murrayfield by bike.The feat raised nearly £700,000 alone.Wainwright, who was a close friend of Weir, said: “When we first started to design the event, we never thought it would have this much impact.

The way people have rallied around to make this such an incredible fundraiser is beyond our wildest dreams.“When we finally end MND, every single person who took part or fundraised will be able to say they played their part.“But it doesn’t stop here.