A Renfrewshire firefighter and his cyclist daughter will join a team of fundraisers this morning as they set off on a charity challenge to aid those with motor neurone disease (MND).
Barrie McCutcheon, who lives in Johnstone, is a group commander with the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) based in the East and West Dunbartonshire, Argyll and Bute region (EWDAB).
Isla, 18, who has been cycling since she was around eight years old, is an amateur road-racing cyclist and has competed and raced across Britain and Europe.
Isla will join her father, also a keen cyclist, and a team of firefighters and staff from East and West Dunbartonshire and Argyll and Bute as they take part in this year’s Doddie Aid cycle.
The four-day challenge will see them cover 700 miles from Stranraer in Wigtownshire to Edinburgh. They will set off this morning and arrive in Edinburgh on Saturday, January 8, ahead of the Scotland v Ireland Six Nations match on Sunday.
The team has a fundraising target of £10,000 and is already more than halfway towards that goal. All proceeds go towards the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation which helps to fund research into MND.
Isla will be one of the youngest to compete in the fundraiser during which she will celebrate her 19th birthday on Thursday.
“I think Isla maybe got the cycling bug watching me at a race in Paisley,” Barrie told the Paisley Daily Express. “Even at an early age, she was determined and committed.
“Any pains, injuries or bad weather – nothing fazed her. She’s talented and she works hard. I’m proud of how far she’s come. It’s going to be great to have this time with her and we’ll be doing this together, and with the team, for a great cause.”
Isla joined her local club, the Johnstone Jets, and won the British championships in Scarborough, North Yorkshire, when she was just 12 years old. She is now part of the Solas Race Team – Scotland’s first dedicated team for junior women.
While Barrie and Isla share a passion for bikes, it will be the first time they have taken part in an event and cycled together. Barrie hasn’t been on his bike for around three years – and he’ll need to get used to being back in the saddle quickly.
He explained: “I used to take Isla to the cycle path in Bridge of Weir. Now she’ll be the one coaxing me back on the bike and helping me. It’s a role reversal. I’ll be the one trying to keep up with her.”
So far, Doddie Aid has contributed more than £5 million to the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation since it was launched in 2021 by former Scotland captain Rob Wainwright, who is also a volunteer on-call firefighter on the island of Coll.
Later this month, Isla will be going to Spain with her cycling team. She is also having a gap year while she studies sports science.
“My parents have always been very supportive and travelled all over to watch me,” she said. “I’m really looking forward to cycling with my dad, he is a good cyclist himself.”
Area Commander Joe McKay is the local senior officer for East and West Dunbartonshire, Argyll and Bute. He said: “This is the second time an SFRS team from the area has supported Doddie Aid.
“We’ve gathered a strong team this year. We’ve been training and we’re looking forward to seeing what this year brings. There’s a lot of miles to cover and it’s a tough challenge. However, Doddie Aid is hugely rewarding and it’s all about raising money for a great cause.”
Donate via the team’s Just Giving Page here.
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