Welshpool opens up for heroic Doddie Weir challengers

Welshpool Rugby Club, Welshpool High School and its pupils are giving their full backing to a gruelling challenge that is raising money in memory of the heroic former rugby international, Doddie Weir.

Pupils will be pitching in tomorrow (Friday) with a non-uniform day to raise money so that the high school can host an overnight stop for the 175 participants who are cycling a 555-mile route from Cardiff to Edinburgh in just 55 hours.

Doddie Weir won 61 caps for Scotland as well as representing the British Lions, but was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease (MND) in 2016, leading to a much-publicised fight that he finally lost in November 2022, aged just 52.

His ‘My Name’5 Doddie Foundation’ has since raised a whopping £8 million and the fundraising continues with the ride-against-time to transport the match ball from Cardiff’s Principality Stadium to the Murrayfield Stadium in time for the Six Nations encounter between the two countries on Saturday, February 11.

“We were delighted to have been asked by the organisers to support the event by providing a place for the 175 participants to receive refreshments and sleep before embarking on the second leg of the bike ride next Thursday night,” said headteacher, Jon Arnold.

Pupils can attend school without uniform tomorrow with a £1 donation going towards the costs of hosting the riders, with anything left over going to the charity. Holdworth Foods and Powys Produce will provide food items while the meals for the visitors will be prepared by Powys Catering staff.

The cyclists, who could include former internationals Scott Quinnell and Rob Wainwright, will pedal into Welshpool between 11pm-1am, and after a brief period of R&R will depart about 5am.