A BURNS Supper hosted by a former Evening Times Scotswoman of the Year raised £20,000 for charity.

Dr Margo Whiteford, who won the accolade in 2009, hosted the Glasgow event in her role as chairwoman of the Scottish Spina Bifida Association (SSBA).

Margo, who has spina bifida, is a consultant geneticist at Yorkhill Hospital, and has raised hundreds of thousands of pounds for the charity.

In 2009, on her 50th birthday, she completed the London Marathon, alongside Gordon Ramsay, whom she persuaded to be SSBA patron.

Members of Scotland's top construction, property and law firms attended the Burns Supper at the Hilton Hotel where they were entertained by speakers, including former track star George McNeill, Sheriff Lindsay Wood, Kevin Brown and singer Nicola Cassells.

Margo said: "For the charity's life-long commitment of care and support the SSBA has to raise over £1 million annually.

"Sadly, the charity receives less than 1% of its funding from the government."

matty.sutton@ eveningtimes.co.uk