A county charity is celebrating a momentous night after it scooped two awards at the Scottish Charity Awards run by the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO).

Leuchie House, near North Berwick, took home the Campaign of the Year and Digital Citizen awards at the glitzy ceremony at Glasgow’s Crowne Plaza hosted by the BBC’s Sally Magnusson.

The charity is Scotland’s National Respite Centre and provides short stays for people living with neurological conditions such as multiple sclerosis and stroke,.

Run annually by the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO), the Scottish Charity Awards celebrates the best of the voluntary sector and this year’s shortlist included 44 individuals and organisations from charities, social enterprises and voluntary groups across the country.

Mark Bevan CEO of Leuchie House was elated by the awards and praised the donors, staff and all the guests that help make the centre a success.

He said: “I think it’s a fantastic recognition of the hard work of a lot of people at Leuchie.

What’s most important about it is it will bring Leuchie to the attention of people all over Scotland who can benefit from the services we offer.

“We need to raise £1m a year and the more people that know about and can help to raise those million pounds the better.

Leuchie won Campaign of the Year for its Big Hare Trail and Mr Bevan was delighted to see how it was able to engage the community and inform people across the country about the services the charity provided.

He said: “The way we do that is by running events that engage communities of people, and that community in East Lothian and the visitors that came along heard more about Leuchie.

“What makes Leuchie work is the community; the donors, the supporters, the guest themselves, the volunteers and the staff team and everybody in that community has worked incredibly hard to do what we are good at.

“About a dozen people had never heard of Leuchie before who only heard about us through the Hare Campaign and now use the services and their families have benefited.

Leuchie also claimed the Digital Citizen award, with the charity being recognised for the innovative technologies they have integrated into the centre.

Mr Bevan added: “We have really learned over the last couple of years how very simple, cheap, off the shelf technology can help people with neurological conditions – helping them have more control over their own environment.

“That’s helped us as a charity reimagine respite – where people can do things for themselves with the use of simple technology and not rely upon a family member or a paid carer to do those things for them.

“This has allowed us to reach out beyond the walls of this house and help people in their own home.”

Lana Banbridge, head of fundraising and communications at Leuchie House said: “We are overjoyed that The Big Hare Trail has been chosen as the Campaign of the Year in the 2022 Scottish Charity Awards.

“The trail brought colour, excitement and enthusiasm to North Berwick in the summer of 2021, and visitors from far and wide bought into the fun.

“They also got right behind Leuchie House and work we do at the respite centre to provide respite to people living with neurological conditions, as well as those who care for them.

“This wave of support, along with the talent and backing of the artists and sponsors, was a game-changer for us, raising more than £190,000, at a time that the charity faced the effects and challenges of the pandemic, and we dedicate this award to them all. Thank you!”