Grangemouth workers scaling Ben Nevis for rugby legend Doddie

The employees of Rix Petroleum, in Powdrake Road, Grangemouth hoping their 4000 foot high, eight mile long climb and descent – which they will undertake on Saturday, July 3 – will raise £2000 for the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation, which supports people with motor neuron disease (MND) and is named after former Scottish rugby player Doddie Weir who was himself diagnosed with MND.

Gail Fawcett, business unit manager at Rix Petroleum, came up with the idea for the challenge as she has always wanted to climb the iconic peak.

She then managed to rope in colleagues Lisa Welsh, Ian Patterson, Ross MacRae, Paul Graham, and Connor O’Hagan to take on the challenge – as well as adventurous friends and family members.

Rix Petroleum started supporting the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation earlier this year.

The charity has two main objectives – to raise funds to invest into MND research and to support people living with the condition to have as full a life as possible.

Gail said: “Ben Nevis is a true Scottish iconic and so is Doddie Weir. They’re both giants in their own right. So, when it came to raising money for the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation, summiting the UK’s highest peak seemed like the only appropriate thing to do. Plus, I’ve always wanted to climb it, so it

was too good an opportunity to miss.

“We’ve all started training and with just a couple of weeks to go, the excitement is building. I think we can do it in around eight hours, but other members of the team are thinking a bit quicker, so there could be a bit of competition on the day.”

Gail said she was hoping for good weather on the day, but the team were determined to complete the challenge come rain or shine.

“You never know with the Highlands, they can throw anything at you. So, we’re making sure to go fully prepared.”

Visit the Just Giving Page to to donate to the charity.

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