Rugby legend Doddie toasts Stow Primary after raising £300 for charity

Since September youngsters have been holding a toast bar to generate cash for the My Name'5 Doddie Trust – which funds research into Motor Neurone Disease (MND).

And on Thursday, the man himself was presented with a cheque by his nieces, twins Aimee and Lucy, who came up with the idea.

Doddie, who is a former pupil of nearby Fountainhall Primary, told the Border Telegraph: "It is a great achievement by the school.

"The generosity and support by everyone has just been unbelievable – from schools and companies to individuals. It is overwhelming.

"Having my nieces Aimee and Lucy here makes that even more special.

"For them to choose my charity, when there are lots of others out there is very humbling.

"Again it is very difficult to put into words the support we have been receiving at the moment and this [toast bar] is an example of the amazing support.

"The whole school has got behind it and they are doing a great thing to make a difference.

"This will make a big difference because nothing have been done about MND for a long time. It is 22 years since a pill last came to market in the UK and I am a bit frustrated that that is the case.

"But now I think the awareness is certainly propelling in the right direction and what the whole school is doing is just phenomenal."

The pupils charge 20p for a slice of brown or white toast and deliver the orders to the classrooms.

Debbie Matthewson, principal teacher at Stow, said: "The toast bar has been a great success.

"The P6 and P7s started it in September and we wanted to make it a social enterprise to raise money for charity.

"It was then that Doddie's nieces Aimee and Lucy Weir, who are both in P7, asked if we could raise money for the My Name'5 Doddie Trust.

"They have been going around each classroom taking orders and delivering them during break times.

"The pupils have shown great leadership skills, which is fantastic, because that fits in with the key values of our school."