Charity bike ride sponsored by Specsavers raises more than £43,000

A Specsavers-sponsored bike ride has raised more than £43,000 for the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation.

Specsavers Dundee supported a team of six cyclists as they completed the journey from Stranraer, in Dumfries and Galloway, to Edinburgh.

The journey covered 700 miles over four days in February.

The My Name’5 Doddie Foundation raises funds and supports those living with motor neurone disease (MND).

The foundation was established in memory of Doddie Weir, the Scottish rugby union international who died in 2022 at the age of 52.

Specsavers Dundee donated £10,000 ahead of the team setting out, with QR codes in the practice linking to the team’s JustGiving page and posts on social media adding to the amount raised.

Specsavers also provided the cyclists with hoodies and hats for their journey.

Along the way, the team visited Specsavers practices in Stranraer, Galashiels, Kilmarnock, Bishopbriggs, Inverurie and Dundee, where they were cheered on by colleagues.

Specsavers Dundee also supported the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation’s All Roads Lead to Rome cycling challenge in 2024, raising £100,000.

Jenny Stephenson, dispensing director and optician at the practice, said: “It didn’t take much to decide to support the team and this invaluable charity once again.

“It was great following the team along the way as they clocked in those miles and having them pop into all the various Specsavers practices was fantastic for morale too. Getting to see them cross the finish line in Edinburgh was just incredible.”

Stephenson’s husband, Michael, was part of the support team for cyclists Ian Hope, Stephen Melville, Bill Stewart, Peter Grewar, Michael Fotheringham and Adrian Ivory.

The group of friends are all rugby fans, and have known Stephenson for a number of years.

On deciding to take on the cycling challenge in November 2023, each member of the team was tasked with finding corporate sponsorship – which was when Specsavers Dundee was approached.

Stephenson said: “We are proud to support the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation, and being able to help raise more than £43,000, with the total still increasing, is quite the achievement.”

The challenge took place from Wednesday 5 to Saturday 8 February, with the team arriving in Edinburgh ahead of the Scotland v Ireland Six Nations game at Murrayfield on Sunday 9 February.

On the way, the team were joined by former Scotland rugby captain and close friend of Weir, Rob Wainwright, who was leading cyclists as part of Doddie’s Grand Tour 2025.