A north-east businessman will take on a gruelling 700-mile cycling challenge to raise funds for the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation.
Keen cyclist and rugby enthusiast Duncan Barton will join the likes of Scottish rugby hero Kenny Logan at Murrayfield Stadium on October 1.
Twenty cyclists will carry the match ball for the Rugby World Cup game between Scotland and Ireland to the Stade de France, Paris, arriving on October 7.
The challenge is in aid of Motor Neurone Disease (MND) research and those also taking part include Ally McCoist, actor James Nesbitt and presenter Kirsty Gallagher.
The My Name’5 Doddie Foundation was set up by British Lions and Scottish rugby international Doddie Weir, who died just over a year ago from MND.
A fundraising goal of £555,000 is a tribute to the number five Doddie wore on his rugby shirt.
Mr Barton and his partner, Annie Kenyon, have raised thousands for the foundation since it was established in 2017, following Mr Weir’s MND diagnosis.
Mr Barton said: “This is a charity which is very close to our hearts. Annie’s mum Margaret died from MND in 2021, and we are committed to helping to make a difference and to doing whatever we can to support efforts to raise enough funds to find a cure for this awful, incurable disease.
The fundraising goal is £555,000
“My personal fundraising goal was £15,000 and thanks to fantastic support from the local community, that goal has already been exceeded with the total now sitting at more than £17,500 so we have upped the goal to £20,000.”
Much of that has come from a special fundraising initiative, Donate a tonne for Doddie, which Ms Kenyon launched in the summer inviting the farming community to donate the value of a tonne of whatever they produce.
“We’d like to give a huge shoutout to all of the local farmers who have donated a tonne as well as clients, friends and family who have supported this fundraiser,” said Duncan. “We couldn’t have done it without them.”
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