Peat and Diesel have supported a fundraising drive for MND Scotland.
The musical marvels donated their services for free, helping to raise £1,381 at a surprise gig in memory of Roddy Maclean who died of motor neurone disease two years ago.
Mr Maclean’s family expressed their gratitude to the band and others who provided assistance for the event in the Lewis Bar in Stornoway on Saturday night.
The cash will go to MND Scotland which is the leading charity providing care and support to people affected by the disease as well as funding vital research into finding a cure.
Roddy died in 2019 within a year of being told he had the disease.
Calum ‘Boydie’ knew the former fisherman and had pledged to help the family’s fundraising efforts for MND.
Lockdown scuppered their plans but the musicians wished to “honour their promise to Roddy.”
They were already playing across the road at Stornoway harbour's open day so popped into the pub to continue the music with 100 enthusiastic fans donating to the charity.
Band member Innes Scott said: "It meant so much to Boydie. He wanted to help and we're were up for that.
"It wasn't an organised gig -
Boydie raffling off his famous yellow wellies on the night helped boost the total.
Another special prize was an unique link to the new Bernera Bridge. The construction team presented the very first bolt installed in the £2 million steel structure for the raffle. The bolt has been securely replaced and the original gifted to the charity fundraiser.
Bridge builders John Wight and Paul Taylor also volunteered their services as doormen for the night. Also thanked is the Hebridean Hobby Centre for their donation.
Roddy Maclean’s sister, Katherine “Gaffer” Maclean, said the total raised was “phenomenal.”
“We are so grateful to Peat and Diesel -
She explained how aggressively disease affected Roddy.
What he believed was just a niggling sore shoulder turned out to be symptoms of the disease.
Ms Maclean said: “He woke up one morning with a stiff shoulder. He was only 43 years old and just thought it was a trapped nerve.
“But it didn’t go away. Then his arm became weaker. He underwent tests and received a MRI scan but nothing was confirmed. His condition worsen over a short period and he underwent further medical tests.
Receiving the conclusive diagnosis was a massive shock and very difficult to comprehend for both Roddy and his wider family.
“It hit us hard -
No cure or effective treatment is available for the rapidly progressing terminal illness which stops signals from the brain reaching the muscles.
Suffers often feel they are fading away, losing the ability to walk, talk, eat, drink or breathe unaided.
The average life expectancy from diagnosis is just 20 months. On average almost 200 people are diagnosed each year in Scotland.
Over half die within one year of diagnosis and 6.5% live for more than five years after diagnosis. Over 450 people in Scotland currently live with MND.
Peat and Diesel gig raises over £1000 for charity
30 August 2021
