Rugby club marks 150th anniversary by raising thousands for good cause

Perthshire Rugby Club raises funds to help My Name’5 Doddie Foundation

A rugby club raised thousands of pounds for a motor neurone disease charity as part of its 150th anniversary celebrations.

Perthshire Rugby held a black tie gala dinner night at the Dewars Centre to mark 150 years since the inception of the club.

Players and coaches, past and present, were in attendance, while former Scotland and South Africa rugby internationals Rory Lawson and Bob Skinstad entertained the guests.

Some 400 people attended the sellout night, which looked back on the rugby club’s success over the years.

The night also saw an auction of memorabilia to raise funds for the My Name’5 Doddie foundation, set up by Scotland rugby legend Doddie Weir, who suffers from motor neurone disease.

A final figure is yet to be announced but the club said thousands of pounds have been raised.

On the night, the Michelin-starred chef of Macdonald Houston Hotel near Edinburgh, Jeremy Wares, a long-time youth coach at the club, was awarded the Scottish Rugby Tennent’s volunteer of the month award.

Mr Lawson handed the prize to Mr Wares for his continued dedication to the club, despite being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease almost 10 years ago.

The club began life on its current home, the North Inch, in January 1868 when it played its first game against the Scots Greys with around 8,000 people in attendance.

Football had been outlawed on the park, after a notorious match ended in riots.

John McLaughlin, club president, said: “This is a historic year for the club.

“Perthshire RFC has touched hundreds of thousands of lives over the 150 years, nurturing the talent of successive generations and maintaining the ethos which we hold so dear.

“Hopefully if we do our job properly then people will think well of us in 150 years’ time. I would like to thank the individuals and businesses that kindly donated prizes and our sponsors for the evening, Carbon Financial Partners.”

The My Name’5 Doddie Foundation researches causes of motor neurone disease and investigates potential cures.

For his contribution to charitable fundraising and Scottish sport, Mr Weir will be given an honorary degree this month at Glasgow Caledonian University during the winter graduations.

Hopefully if we do our job properly people will think well of us in 150 years’ time

Picture: PA.