Mrs and Mr Logan drive through Edinburgh in Doddie Weir tartan-clad JCB Fastrac
2nd December 2024
Retired Scottish rugby player Kenny Logan left his wife and broadcaster Gabby speechless after surprising her with a drive through Edinburgh in a tractor branded in honour of friend and former international teammate Doddie Weir.
The celebrity duo was en route to the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation anniversary dinner and awards at the capital’s Prestonfield House, which raised more than £100,000 for vital MND research.
Other famous faces at the star-studded event included former Scotland centre Scott Hastings, legendary British and Irish Lions and Scotland team doctor Dr James Robson MBE, as well as MNDF ambassador Jill Douglas MBE. Doddie’s wife Kathy and their sons were also in attendance.
Mrs Longan could not hide her shock as 70-cap Scotland international Kenny, who grew up on a farm near Stirling, pulled up outside the Virgin Hotel on the city’s Victoria Street in a huge tractor covered in Doddie’s famous blue and yellow tartan.
The pair then travelled through the city centre in the enormous JCB Fastrac dressed in black tie, drawing the attention of stunned passers-by.
READ MORE: Doddie the iCON can be spotted during fundraising tractor run this week
Drawing attention to My Name’5 Doddie Foundation
Mrs Longan, who was hosting the event for the first time, said: “I was speechless. Kenny told me he was running late in the cab, but then turned up in a tractor, that was quite frankly ridiculous! If anything can draw attention to the My Name’5 DoddieFoundation cause, this is it.”
She added: “It was a huge honour to host the event attended by so many people contributing to such an important cause. There is so much amazing work being done to help people living with MND, and this event plays a massive role within that.”
An auction, hosted by former England rugby international turned broadcaster Martin Bayfield, raised more than £100,000, with the total expected to grow even further.
Northern Irish actor and MND fundraiser Jimmy Nesbitt was named a Doddie Champion, after dedicating huge amounts of time to raising awareness and money for My Name’5 Doddie Foundation.
He was a key member of Kenny Logan’s Rugby World Cup Challenge, which raised more than £800,000 last year.
The Cold Feet and The Hobbit star has helped raise more than £150,000 for the foundation and will continue that effort in the New Year as part of Doddie Aid 2025, which launched this week.
World free of MND
The event included several poignant and emotional moments, such as the presentation of the inaugural James Clark Award to Scott Stewart, a former Scotland youth rugby international who has become a vocal MND campaigner following his diagnosis at just 40 last year.
The award was named after late MND campaigner and Doddie Champion in 2022, James Clarke, who died earlier this year after raising more than £1 million for the foundation following his diagnosis in his early 40s. It was presented by Mr Clarke’s widow, Lottie.
Other fundraisers, campaigners, and supporters of My Name’5 Doddie Foundation honoured on the night included Anni Kenyon, Mairi McInnes, Will Lovering and Mark Opperman, Sean Phelan, and The Grand Slam Team.
Paul Thompson, director of fundraising at My Name’5 Doddie Foundation, said: “It was another incredible night full of emotion, fun, and fundraising, and that’s what Doddie was all about.
“This event celebrates and recognises all that is good in the MND community, and helps to move us closer to our ultimate aim and Doddie’s legacy – a world free of MND.”
READ MORE: Emma following in Doddie’s bootsteps
Doddie Aid 2025
Doddie Aid 2025, which begins on 1st January, promises to be the biggest yet, with a new expanded four-nations format in which participants will compete against each other amongst friends, family, colleagues, communities, sports clubs, and beyond.
Each nation, England, Ireland, Wales, and Doddie’s native Scotland, will be led by two celebrity star captains set to be announced in December.
The 2025 event will also feature a new and improved app to enable participants to log miles in their chosen sport or activity. Doddie Aid has so far contributed more than £5 million to the MNDF cause since it was launched by Weir’s friend, former teammate, and Scotland captain Rob Wainwright in 2021.
It has grown to become one of the biggest mass participation events dedicated to MND fundraising in the world.
My Name’5 Doddie Foundation has so far committed more than £18 million to MND research.
To sign up to Doddie Aid 2025. For more information about My Name’5 Doddie Foundation, click here.
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