Crafty father and sons raise more than £1,300 for My Name’5 Doddie Foundation

By Lottie Hood

January 12 2023, 7:29 pm

The family has raised more than £1,300 for MND with their festive decorations. Pictured (L-R): Gareth, Owen, 9, Laura and Aiden, 13 working on a wooden deer. Image: Wullie Marr / DC Thomson.

A dad and his two sons are helping in the fight against MND after raising £1,300 by making festive decorations.

Gareth Lean and boys Aiden, 13, and Owen, nine, spent their Christmas Eve selling homemade wooden reindeer from their driveway in Blackburn.

The trio wanted to do something in recognition of family friend Martin Johnston’s battle with motor neuron disease.

The former Cove Rangers, Peterhead and Elgin footballer, was diagnosed in August 2018, and told the P&J last October that he now suffers significant weakness in his hands and needs a rollator when going outside.

Mr Lean wanted to do something to support his friend, who also has two children, and was further inspired after the death of Scottish rugby legend Doddie Weir in November.

Gareth and his sons Owen, nine, and Aiden, 13, have been making wooden reindeers to raise money for MND over Christmas. Image: Wullie Marr / DC Thomson.

“Martin has got kids the same age so it brings it home a bit,” he said.

“We were kind of looking for a way to make a difference and give a bit of money and then obviously Doddie’s passing kind of spurred us on a bit.”

‘Felt like Santa’s elves’

It was after seeing other people making some wooden reindeer from bits of wood that Mr Lean said they got the idea.

“We thought well we can do that and we can make them cuter,” the 41-year-old added.

“Owen and Aiden were quite keen to do it for charity.

“Then we just couldn’t make enough of them and it went a bit crazy.”

The trio gathered sticks from the woods and have made around 120 of the reindeer, which are about 12ins tall, since the start of December.

Owen Lean by the charity box outside the family’s home in Blackburn. Image: Gareth Lean.

Despite Blitzen through the orders, Mr Lean said they still have some to make.

“I felt like Santa’s elves making these reindeer,” Mr Lean said.

“On Christmas Eve we were sitting in the front of the garage with a wee fire on and with queues of people waiting for reindeers.

“We left a charity box at the top of the drive and we came home and there were queues of cars waiting, with people wanting more reindeer and we ran out.”