ORGANISERS of Doddie Aid 2023 have set their sights on a ‘record-breaking’ fundraising total after passing the £1 million mark just 11 days into the six-week campaign.

With a month still to go in the campaign – the first major My Name’5 Doddie Foundation fundraising event following the death of founder Doddie Weir – the running total has already eclipsed the entire Doddie Aid 2022 total.

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More than 35,000 fundraisers across the UK have already rallied to raise as much money as possible for MND research in memory of Scotland rugby legend and MND campaigner Weir, who died in November last year six years after his MND diagnosis. He was 52.

Doddie Aid 2023 organisers are now targeting a record-breaking fundraising total – and hope to attract more than 50,000 fundraisers to help them get there.

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Jill Douglas, CEO of the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation and Doddie’s close friend, said: “We are absolutely blown away by the amazing efforts of thousands of fundraisers taking part in Doddie Aid 2023 – they are all truly remarkable.

“The hard work doesn’t stop here – and with four weeks still to go in Doddie Aid 2023 we want as many people as possible to sign up and help raise as much money as we can for vital MND research in memory of the great man. Every pound we raise is another step towards his goal of ending MND.”

News of the milestone arrives as Olympic gold medal winner Dame Katherine Grainger and former Scotland rugby captain Wainwright announced they will lead a star-studded line up of rowers for the flagship event of the six-week Doddie Aid 2023 campaign, The Doddie Aid Britannia Regatta.

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Eight teams of celebrities will compete to see who can row the furthest in three hours in support of the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation at the event – to be held at the iconic Royal Yacht Britannia in Edinburgh – on Saturday, January 28.

North and Midlands top the Doddie Aid 2023 leader board with more than 250,000 miles, 17,000 miles ahead of Team South.