Doddie Weir portrait to raise funds for MND charity

A portrait of rugby legend Doddie Weir will be auctioned at a fundraising dinner in Hong Kong, with Sir Billy Connolly among the guests.

A portrait of former Scotland rugby international Doddie Weir will be auctioned off to raise funds for MND. Picture: PA

The life-size portrait by Gerard M Burns is being sold to raise money for the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation, which raises funds for research into motor neurone disease (MND) and supports those affected by it.

Rugby stars including Gavin and Scott Hastings, George Gregan and Brian O’Driscoll are among expected to attend The Greatest Rugby Dinner Ever at the Grand Hyatt Hotel.

After the auction, the artwork will return to Scotland, where it will be hung in the Scottish Portrait Gallery in Edinburgh.

It will have an accompanying plaque naming all those who made contributions during the auction of the painting, which will be sold in crowd-funding style to raise as much money as possible.

The dinner, expected to be attended by around 500 guests, has been organised by the Scottish business community based in Hong Kong as a precursor to the The Hong Kong Rugby Sevens on April 5-7.

Weir was diagnosed with MND in 2017 and went on to found the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation.

He began his rugby career at Melrose RFC before going on to play for Scotland and Newcastle Falcons.