Meanwhile, rowing legend launches Doddie Aid Britannia Regatta

Organisers of Doddie Aid 2023 have set their sights on a “record-breaking” fundraising total after passing the £1 million mark just 11 days into the six-week campaign. 

With a month still to go in the campaign – the first major My Name’5 Doddie Foundation fundraising event following the death of founder Doddie Weir – the running total has already eclipsed the entire Doddie Aid 2022 total.

More than 35,000 fundraisers across the UK have already rallied to raise as much money as possible for MND research in memory of Scotland rugby legend and MND campaigner Weir, who died in November last year at the age of 52, six years after his MND diagnosis

Doddie Aid 2023 organisers are now targeting a record-breaking fundraising total – and hope to attract more than 50,000 fundraisers to help them get there.

Jill Douglas, chief executive of the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation and Doddie’s close friend, said: “We are absolutely blown away by the amazing efforts of thousands of fundraisers taking part in Doddie Aid 2023 – they are all truly remarkable. 

“The hard work doesn’t stop here – and with four weeks still to go in Doddie Aid 2023 we want as many people as possible to sign up and help raise as much money as we can for vital MND research in memory of the great man. Every pound we raise is another step towards his goal of ending MND.”  

News of the milestone arrives as Olympic gold medal winner Dame Katherine Grainger and former Scotland rugby captain Wainwright announced they will lead a star-studded line up of rowers for the flagship event of the six-week Doddie Aid 2023 campaign – The Doddie Aid Britannia Regatta.

Eight teams of celebrities will compete to see who can row the furthest in three hours in support of the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation at the event – to be held at the iconic Royal Yacht Britannia in Edinburgh – on Saturday, 28 January.

Six-time rowing world champion Dame Katherine, who won gold in the double sculls at the London 2012 Olympic Games, is among a host of famous faces from rugby, television, music and the wider sporting world who will be on deck to rack up as many miles as possible to fund MND research. 

Other well-known names joining the event include former Scotland internationals Jim Hamilton, Chris Paterson, and Roger Baird, as well as television stars Jason Fox, Louise Minchin, Jennifer Reoch and Dougie Vipond.

The Doddie Aid Britannia Regatta is the flagship event of the third annual Doddie Aid, the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation’s largest annual fundraising event. Founded in 2020 by Doddie’s former teammate Wainwright, mass-participation event Doddie Aid has already encouraged more than 35,000 people to cover four million miles, raising more than £2m for research projects across the UK.

A limited number of tickets will be available to purchase in advance, with proceeds from all event sales donated to the foundation. 

Pre-booking is essential for this event. To purchase a ticket please visit The Royal Yacht Britannia website.

To find out more and support the foundation, please visit myname5doddie.co.uk.

Doddie Aid runs until 12 February. To find out how you can support it visit doddieaid.com.