THIS month, a charity golf day at Muirfield raised more than £42,000 for Leuchie. This was remarkable for three main reasons.

First, the amount raised made it our most successful fundraising event to date. We need to fundraise for nearly half the cost of every respite break we deliver, so to bring in so much in one event makes life that bit easier.

Second, the scale of the support it generated. Being in our fifth anniversary year, we’ve done a fair bit of reflection on how far Leuchie has come since becoming an independent charity in 2011. One of the measures of success for any charity has to be the support it receives. For Leuchie, the support we have is quite humbling. It has become one of the bedrocks of Leuchie’s survival and, with every year that passes and every event we hold, it becomes stronger and deeper.

From this foundation, we saw an important development at the Muirfield golf day. The networks and connections of our local supporters have taken Leuchie to not just a national, but an international support base.

The team of golfers who took part came from across the UK. Undoubtedly the lure of playing at one of the world’s finest courses was a big part of the appeal but they chose to support Leuchie too.

At all our events, we think it’s important to remind everyone why they’re there and what their support means. This was done beautifully at the golf day by Leuchie guest Anna. She spoke about living with MS and what coming to Leuchie over the past 10 years had meant to her and those close to her. No one there was left in any doubt about the difference their support would make.

And the third thing that was remarkable about the event?

It has to be the joy on Anna’s face the next day to hear the amount raised and know she’d played a big part in achieving it.