Blairgowrie Rugby Club has invited one last local VIP to “Take a Seat for Doddie”.
Supporter Len Seal visited Blairgowrie Rugby Club to try out its one-of-a-kind chair, which was made from shirts associated with Doddie Weir’s sporting career.
The seat – the work of local upholsterer Jayne Strachan – recently raised £1,600 at auction in aid of the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation.
It’s off to a new home now, but not before Blairgowrie community stalwart Len gave it his blessing.
Len was recently diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease, the condition Doddie Weir battled before his death in 2022.
Blairgowrie RFC’s Andy McOuat said they were honoured to welcome him, along with wife Kay and daughter Hannah.
“Len got in touch with us after hearing about the Doddie chair,” said Andy.
“He has recently been diagnosed with MND, so the opportunity to ‘take a seat for Doddie’ and highlight the charity further was particularly apt.”
Changes led to MND diagnosis
A keen runner and hillwalker, Len has close links to Blairgowrie Rugby Club too.
He was one of the organisers of the Relay for Life fundraising events held there in 2013 and 2014.
He had noticed some slight differences to the strength in his hand and arm recently.
Encouraged by Kay and Hannah, he went to see his doctor.
He was diagnosed with MND after investigations at Ninewells.
The late Doddie Weir launched his My Name’5 Doddie Foundation in 2017 following his own diagnosis with MND.
It has since raised more than £18 million to fund research, as well as £2m to support people living with the disease.
Former Scotland captain Rob Wainwright launched Blairgowrie Rugby Club’s Take a Seat for Doddie fundraiser earlier this month.
He and fellow cyclists stopped off in the town on their epic 800-mile charity cycle from Dublin to Edinburgh.
John Campbell made the winning bid for the Doddie chair.
it is now going to the Cramond Residences Nursing Home.
The Edinburgh home’s sports bar was recently opened by another Scottish rugby legend Andy Irvine.
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