Partner Article

North East Business Gets Charity Trust Gets Off To Flying Start

A giant of Scottish rugby who received a shock diagnosis has witnessed his newlylaunched charity trust get off to a flying start with a £20,000 donation from Hitachi Construction Machinery UK. Larger than life ex-Scotland international Doddie Weir, who was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease at just 47, has launched a trust to help raise awareness of the incurable disease.

Wearing his trademark Tartan suit, Doddie visited the Hitachi Construction Machinery UK head office in Hebburn, Tyne and Wear, to receive a £20,000 cheque that will go towards the Doddie Weir’5 trust.

Speaking of the donation, CEO of Hitachi Construction Machinery UK, John Jones, stressed the importance of fighting the disease: “Doddie is a terrific person and he deserves support. Motor Neurone Disease is an incurable, degenerative condition and we hope our donation helps support the Trust. This is a disease that affects thousands of people in the UK and, given our corporate and social responsibilities, we truly hope this helps raise awareness of the illness and push humanity closer to a cure.

Doddie is iconic in the North East and Scotland, both for his achievements in rugby and more latterly corporate events, and he has always been a phenomenal supporter of the Hitachi brand ever since we relocated our headquarters to Hebburn in 2004. We intend to offer the Doddie Weir’5 Trust as much support as we can in the hope that there will be a breakthrough for Doddie and fellow sufferers of this awful disease.“

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Craig Boyle .