Special service to celebrate life of local hero Doddie Weir to take place in Melrose
A special service to celebrate the life of Scotland rugby legend Doddie Weir will take place on Monday 19 December at Melrose Parish Church.
The 52-year-old former Melrose Rugby Club player, who also played 61 times for Scotland and represented the British Lions, died on Saturday 26 November, following a six-year battle with Motor Neurone Disease (MND).
The funeral will be a private ceremony for family and close friends, however the public are invited to pay their respects at the memorial event in Melrose.
Everyone attending the service at Melrose Parish Church is requested to wear tartan to celebrate Doddie’s life - he was known for sporting colourful tartan suits.
The church has a capacity of 500, and organisers will relay the service to the nearby Greenyards - home of Melrose Rugby Club, Doddie’s former club.
In statement, the My Name'5 Doddie Foundation, said: "A service to celebrate Doddie’s life will be held at Melrose Parish Church on Monday, 19 December, at 1pm.
"Numbers will be restricted within the church therefore the service will be sound relayed to The Greenyards, Melrose Rugby Club. All are welcome to attend.
"Please wear any form of tartan as requested by Doddie. No flowers please. Donations if desired may be sent to My Name’5 Doddie Foundation."
Doddie went public with his diagnosis of MND in 2017 and raised millions of pounds for the charity set up in his name.
In a statement, Doddie’s family said: "We are lucky to have shared our lives with him and we cherish all those memories: his love and warmth, his support and advice, his quick wit, and his terrible jokes. It is difficult to put into words how much we will miss him.
"MND took so much from Doddie, but never his spirit and determination.
"He battled MND so bravely, and whilst his own battle may be over, his fight continues through his foundation, until a cure is found for all those with this devastating disease."
More information about Doddie’s life, career, fundraising and the special service arrangements, is available on the My Name’5 Doddie website.