DODDIE Aid 2024 kicks off today.

The virtual mass-participation exercise event was founded by former Scotland captain Rob Wainwright.

In 2024 the campaign will run for five weeks from January 1.

It all comes to a close with a celebration around the Doddie Weir Cup between Wales and Scotland at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff.

Participants sign up using the Doddie Aid app, choose a district to represent, claim their free district snood and log all their exercise miles on the app.

Any exercise counts, with the winning district being the one with the most miles at the end of the event.

The last three years have been incredible, and members have been part of a community of almost 80,000 participants who have covered over eight million miles and raised over £4 million for MND research in the process.

And members have no intention of slowing down.

As a result of everyone’s efforts Doddie Aid has been able to commit more than £11m to vital MND research, funding 40 pioneering research projects to help find effective treatments and one day, a cure for MND.

One year on from Doddie’s death, the desire to reach his goal of a world free of MND is stronger than ever.