Women curlers raise funds for Doddie Weir charity while competing in Sweden

A squad of 20 women curlers from across Scotland are in Sweden to raise money for a charity launched by rugby legend Doddie Weir.

The Royal Caledonian Curling Club, made up of 20 women from Kelso, Ayr, and Perth, to Kinross, Aberdeen, and Inverness, travel to Sweden every 10 years to take on curlers from the Scandinavian nation, with a Swedish team making the return journey in between.

This year they are donning blue and yellow tartan in honour of Weir, who died last November following a six-year battle with motor neurone disease.

They hoping to raise as much as possible for the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation – launched by Weir in 2017 – a charity which aims to find a cure for the disease as well as supporting people living with the condition.

The team landed in Stockholm on Thursday in what marks the seventh time a Scottish squad has made the voyage.

Doddie Weir, pictured in the line-up for Scotland at Murrayfield in 2008, died last November (PA)PA Archive/PA Images - PA News

Terry Paterson, the tour captain, said: “It’s a hugely exciting opportunity to go and play the sport we love in a country with a very high standing in the game.

“Making new friends as part of the tour and meeting many more curlers whilst we are away will, as well as visiting sights in Sweden, make it a very memorable experience for us all.

“We needed a tartan for the tour, and after seeing Doddie at Murrayfield and his wonderful blue and yellow colours, we knew it was the right one for us, and the perfect cause to support.”

The team has already raised more than £7,000 between online and offline donations.

Mhairi Baird, Isla Kinnear, Terry Paterson and Karen Jack are part of the team (My Name’5 Doddie Foundation/PA)

The women are aged between 50 and 75, with former international and top-level club players in the line-up.

Paul Thompson, director of fundraising at My Name’5 Doddie Foundation, said: “You couldn’t pick a more appropriate colour scheme for a visit to Sweden, and the team will be fantastic ambassadors for the foundation as they take Doddie’s message overseas.

“We wish them all the best in the tour, and thank them sincerely for their support in our ongoing mission to find effective treatments and one day cures for MND.”

To donate, visit justgiving.com/fundraising/scottishladiescurlingtoursweden-2023.