Team led by rugby legend Kenny Logan will take Scotland-Ireland world cup match ball from Murrayfield to Stade de France
NORTH-east developer Duncan Barton, a keen cyclist and rugby enthusiast, will join some of Scotland’s well-known names from the world of sport and entertainment as he sets off on a 700-mile cycling challenge to raise funds for the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation in aid of Motor Neurone Disease (MND) research.
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He will join around 20 team members, led by former Scottish rugby international Kenny Logan, in the endurance challenge. They will leave Murrayfield on Sunday, October 1, carrying with them the match ball for the Rugby World Cup game between Scotland and Ireland in the Stade de France, Paris, on Saturday, October 7.
Supported by World Rugby, others taking part include Kenny’s wife, presenter Gabby Logan, footballer Ally McCoist, actor Jamie Bamber, presenter Kirsty Gallagher, adventurer Jason Fox, rugby player Rob Wainwright and actor James Nesbitt.
The team will arrive at the Eiffel Tour at noon on October 7, with Kenny taking the ball onto the pitch for the start of the match.
The foundation, which aims to raise awareness as well as funds for research, was set up by British Lions and Scottish rugby international Doddie Weir who died just over a year ago from MND. The fundraising goal of £555,000 is a tribute to the number 5 Doddie wore on his rugby shirt.
Duncan and his partner, architect Annie Kenyon, joint directors of Annie Kenyon Developments, have raised thousands of pounds for the foundation since it was set up in 2017, following Doddie’s MND diagnosis. As a result, the couple was approached by Kenny to ask them to get involved with the challenge. Duncan, the only participant from the North-east, was invited to take part while Annie took on the role of his designated fundraising manager.
“This is a charity which is very close to our hearts,” he said. “Annie’s mum Margaret died from MND in 2021, and we are committed to helping to make a difference and to doing whatever we can to support efforts to raise enough funds to find a cure for this awful, incurable disease.
“My personal fundraising goal was £15,000 and thanks to fantastic support from the local community, that goal has already been exceeded with the total now sitting at more than £17,500 so we have upped the goal to £20,000.”
Much of that has come from a special fundraising initiative, “Donate a tonne for Doddie” she launched in summer when she invited members of the farming community to get behind the fundraising campaign and donate the value of a tonne of whatever they produce – anything from feeding barley, to wheat, tatties, carrots – even dog food.
“We’d like to give a huge shoutout to all of the local farmers who have donated a tonne as well as clients, friend and family who have supported this fundraiser,” said Duncan. “We couldn’t have done it without them.”
If you would like to contribute to the cycling challenge, please contact Annie Kenyon on 07775762506
