Bowmont hosts a day for Doddie

Motor neurone disease (MND) is an incurable, progressive, life-shortening disease that attacks the nerves in the brain and spinal cord that control how you walk, talk, eat, drink and breathe. This devastating illness had attracted limited public exposure and frustratingly little research until Doddie Weir, the former Scottish rugby union player, revealed in June 2017 that he had been diagnosed with MND. Weir approached the illness with the same courage and determinations that made him one of the game’s finest players, winning 61 caps for Scotland during his career and selection for the 1997 British and Irish Lions tour of South Africa. Since diagnosis, Weir has devoted his energies to a continuous round of fund-raising public appearances to raise money for research into MND and to assist those already afflicted. In November 2017, he launched the registered charity My Name’5 Doddie foundation and in October 2018 was able to announce on the BBC’s The One Showthat the foundation had already committed £1m to MND research and to help those affected by motor neurone disease.

The world of rugby union was quick to close ranks and come forward with support: Kenny Logan was instrumental in organising a