Scotland rugby hero Doddie Weir to be honoured at memorial service

Former Scotland rugby star and charity fundraiser Doddie Weir is being remembered at a memorial service in the Borders.

Hundreds are set to gather at Melrose Parish Church on Monday afternoon with the service being relayed by audio to the town’s rugby club, where Weir won three Scottish titles in the early 1990s. Mourners have been asked to wear any Tartan in tribute to Weir.

The service is also being streamed live on the official Scottish Rugby website and that of his own charity.

The former Scotland and British & Irish Lions international died aged 52 in November after a six-year battle with motor neurone disease (MND).

The 6ft 6in former farmer, who played for Newcastle and Borders Reivers after turning professional, helped raise more than £8 million for research into MND through his charity, My Name’5 Doddie Foundation.

Weir’s former Scotland team-mate, Rob Wainwright, vowed to carry on his fundraising drive in the name of Weir at the weekend.

Wainwright founded Doddie Aid three years ago and the mass participation event has raised about £2 million.

Wainwright said: “We have come a long way, but the journey needs to be pushed on. Doddie was defined not by what he did in his glory days on the rugby field, but by how he coped with his ultimate challenge, how he attacked it and the momentum he created to find solutions for MND.

“There’s lots of people out there with MND. Many of them don’t have the platform that Doddie had, but he had that platform, and he used it.

“He had an amazing energy and determination to find a solution to this disease and to help others. He’ll keep pushing us on even though he isn’t here.

“We’ll keep funding research and hopefully there will be a breakthrough that will really make a difference for sufferers of MND. It’s what Doddie would have wanted.”