Smart new partnership gives My Name'5 Doddie Foundation a 'try'

23 August 2021

A NEW partnership has been struck up between a fast-growing media business and one of rugby's best-known charities.

Smart Outdoor has agreed a new partnership with the My Name'5 Doddie Foundation. Founded in November 2017, Doddie Weir and his trustees launched the registered charity, My Name'5 Doddie Foundation. One simple vision a World Free of MND.

The agreement will see Smart use its large digital screens across Scotland, including Murrayfield, Edinburgh Gateway and Edinburgh Waverley, to promote the charity's work and raise awareness of MND. Approximately 1,100 people are diagnosed with MND every year in the UK. Up to 5,000 adults in the UK are affected at any one time.

In exchange, the Foundation will use Smart's large mobile events screens for a range of events organised as part of its fundraising activities, exploring opportunities to partner for the benefit of the charity and the digital media business. 

Mark Catterall, chief executive of Smart Media Group, said: "As a big rugby fan, I am absolutely thrilled that we are able to support Doddie and his incredible work to raise awareness of MND. 

"We have a growing presence in Scotland, including a prominent site at Murrayfield, where a great many major sporting occasions take place, attracting a huge number of fans in normal times.  To be able to reach so many with messages about the Foundation, its incredible work, and indeed to be able to raise awareness of MND, is amazing, and we're proud to be working in partnership with this brilliant charity."

The partnership is one of several charity agreements that Smart has in place.  The business has provided more than £50,000 worth of free advertising in the last 12 months to various charities and appeals. 

The business - which reaches 12.5 million people a week through its 227 screens across the North East, North Yorkshire and Scotland – has supported charitable campaigns, including Feed the Bairns, a partnership between NHS and Iceland to recruit Delivery Drivers to Help Feed the Nation for free in a bid to support the effort to beat Covid, as well as Parkinsons UK, a charity that is close to the heart of Smart Outdoor founder Mark Catterall. 

Jill Douglas, CEO of the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation said: "We are delighted to be working with Mark and the team at Smart Outdoor and would like to thank them for their support. The locations of the digital screens mean a great many people will be able to see our messaging, learn about our fundraising activities and help raise awareness of motor neuron disease. It is a great example of how business and charity can work together to make a difference."

To find out more about Smart Outdoor, visit http://www.smartoutdoor.co.uk.