A DOUBLE celebration was hosted at Leuchie House recently as a long-time guest celebrated his 85th birthday and 40th year spending his holidays there.

Ricky Jack, who has multiple sclerosis (MS), has visited the respite centre frequently to enjoy time away while being cared for by the kind staff.

His wife Jean also had MS, and the pair visited a few times a year together until she passed away in 2008.

Ricky, who worked as an accountant in Glasgow before he retired in 1984, has since continued to spend his holidays at the facility near North Berwick, becoming a familiar face and much-loved guest over the past 40 years.

He was part of the ‘Save Leuchie campaign’ back in 2011 and attended a meeting in Parliament with then East Lothian MSP Iain Gray.

Previously run by the MS Society, Leuchie House has since been able to continue as an independent charity.

Looking back to the early visits, Ricky said: “It wasn’t much different then. They had evening entertainment like we do now, with singing and guitar playing.

“The TV was a little different, though - not so big and thin!”

Over the years, Ricky has enjoyed many birthday celebrations – the highlight being the microlight flight he took with East Lothian Microlights to celebrate his 80th in 2019.

But the thing he does the most at Leuchie now is to relax. He said: “Now I come here to be lazy and I come here to chill.”

Ricky celebrated his birthday on August 19 with a trip to the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo and a visit to contemporary outdoor gallery Jupiter Artland.

Staff at Leuchie then hosted a small party for him in the evening to commemorate both his 85th birthday and his 40th year enjoying one of their respite breaks.

Leuchie is Scotland's national respite charity, giving families a break from the physical and emotional responsibilities of caring for a loved one.

It supports individuals and families living with a neurological condition such as MS, MND, Parkinson's and stroke through short respite breaks and outreach services.

The charity provides a range of settings that suit the health needs and circumstances of the individual and their family.

READ MORE: QMU teaming up with Leuchie in exciting new partnership

These include short breaks with 24-hour nursing and care, therapies, social activities and outings at Leuchie House, accessible self-catering accommodation for all the family or regular at-home support.

A spokesperson for Leuchie said: “We’re privileged to share these milestones with Ricky and to know how much respite breaks at Leuchie mean to him.

“He is very much part of the Leuchie family.”