At around 4pm on Thursday afternoon, the Quad was a quiet, expectant place.
A guard of honour awaiting its guests, soon enough the pupils peeked the walking team. Amongst them were a band of celebrities: Gabby Logan, Ally McCoist, Kirsty Gallacher.
Within moments Brighton College is transformed into a Scottish haven. The piper leading the way as the crowd erupts in a plume of excitement under the Saltire. Next the cyclists emerge, with Kenny Logan at the spearhead of the formation as they greets us with arms outstretched, smiles as wide as the Forth.
First, a bit of context. Logan and his friends are currently in the midst of a 700 mile walk and cycle challenge from Edinburgh to Paris, in the hope of raising £555,555 for the 'My Name'5 Doddie Foundation'.
To mark the first Rugby World Cup since Doddie Weir’s sad passing, Logan and friends have made fantastic progress on their long odyssey down to the coast from Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh, to the Stade de France, Paris, where they will deliver the match ball ahead of Scotland's crucial World Cup clash with Ireland on Saturday.
Steve Marshall-Taylor delivered a beautiful speech, touching upon the pain shared at the loss of former teacher, Peter Bellenger, to the same disease. And then it was Logan's turn: a heartfelt, sincere talk on Doddie. Education is the best way of finding a cure for this horrible illness, and we're so proud of the support shown by our pupils.
The smiles returned and the band started up again. "Probably one of the best welcomes I've ever had", Logan proclaimed as they settled in for a serene night under the wing of our catering team. Off to France they went with bellies full, now the final leg of this journey is underway. An incredible journey it has been, as Kenny and his friends inch closer to Paris, and to the desired amount of donations.
