Borderers Doddie Weir and John Davidson enjoy right royal day out at medal ceremony

Rugby legend Doddie Weir and charity campaigner John Davidson with their honours yesterday. (Photo by Jane Barlow - WPA Pool/Getty Images)

Ex-Scotland rugby international Doddie Weir, 48, of Blainslie, was given the Order of the British Empire and Tourette’s syndrome campaigner John Davidson, 47, of Galashiels, was made a Member of the British Empire.

Doddie, capped 61 times between 1990 and 2000, revealed in 2017 that he’d been diagnosed with motor neurone disease at the end of the previous year and went on to set up the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation to raise funds for research into the terminal disease.

“It’s been a beautiful day here at Holyrood Palace receiving that award in front of the Queen,” he told the Press Association.

Doddie Weir with wife Kathy and their three sons, from left, Hamish, Ben and Angus after receiving his OBE from Queen Elizabeth II during an Investiture ceremony at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh. (Photo by Jane Barlow - WPA Pool/Getty Images)

“It’s been amazing, but I have to admit that I’ve got to thank so many hundreds of thousands of people who have helped me on the journey to try and find a cure for MND because if it wasn’t for them I wouldn’t be here.

“It’s been an amazing day so far.”

The former Melrose and Newcastle Falcons player – accompanied by wife Kathy and sons Hamish, Ben and Angus – said that receiving the OBE was “certainly up there” among the highlights of his life to date.

Fellow charity campaigner John, famous for the 1989 BBC1 documentary John’s Not Mad, has dedicated his life to raising awareness of Tourette’s and also helping families dealing with the condition across the country.

He was accompanied by his sister Caroline and friends Chris and Dorothy Achenbach.