There are so many good and deserving causes that the world of fundraising is becoming more and more competitive and the pressure to innovate or to stand out from the crowd appears to be increasing by the day.

Of course there are many national and international campaigns, some of which have been around for decades – the Earl Haig Fund Scotland (now Poppyscotland) was established after the First World War to assist ex-servicemen and women and, through its poppy appeal, it continues to support veterans and their families from all conflicts and military actions since then.

It also provides a visual reminder of the horrors of war and the sacrifices made by so many. The magnificent spectacle and remembrance brought on by the poppies in London are an indication of just how successful this is.

In more recent years, certain days and weeks, even, have been designated or adopted by national charities as part of their fundraising and awareness campaigns – daffodils, red noses, ribbons of various colours, moustache growing (I’ll try to pass on that one!) are just some that immediately come to mind as symbols of the good causes behind them.

Fundraising plays a vital role in ensuring Leuchie continues to survive. And although we work hard at avenues that may be open to us at a national level, we also recognise, and are very grateful for, the generosity and willingness of the local community in East Lothian to get involved.

For this reason we try to be inventive and organise different types of events over the year with a view to involving as wide a cross-section of the community as possible.

Fundraising often works best when people are having an enjoyable time, but this is not always the case! Recently, for example, we witnessed the second Leuchie Firewalk, which involved 19 brave individuals who overcame their fears and raised several thousand pounds for Leuchie though generous sponsorship from their families and friends.

I spoke to many of those who took part and it was lovely to be able to witness the justifiable sense of pride, not to say relief, at their achievement.

I have also mentioned in previous columns the fantastic efforts and achievements of individuals who have undertaken extreme fundraising challenges that most of us would have nightmares about. So perhaps it is time to break new ground with an innovative fundraising campaign that is a little less demanding: ‘Plant a Lettuce for Leuchie’? Then again, perhaps not.