Scottish Veterans Fund has provided £2.8m to support ex-service personnel and their families since it was established in 2008
K13 MEMORIAL SERVICE AT FASLANE Pictured: The congregation of Serving RN Submariners, Veterans and Sea Cadets at a church service for K13 held at the HMNB Clyde Chapel Today, 28 Jan 2024, Naval personnel, Veterans and Cadets gathered at Faslane Cemetery to remember those who died onboard K13. Veterans, cadets and serving Royal Navy submariners gathered recently to remember those lost during an early maritime disaster. Submarine K13 sank during sea trials on the Gareloch on January 29, 1917, leading to the tragic death of 32 people on board. Over the weekend of January 27-28, the West of Scotland branch of the Submariners Association commemorated the 107th anniversary of the K13 disaster. The event was supported by the Barrow-In-Furness, Essex, Dolphin, and Scottish branches of the Association who headed to HM Naval Base Clyde to join members of HMS Neptune, Submarine Flotilla, Submarine Qualification Course (North), RM Band Scotland, and the Clydebank and Helensburgh Sea Cadets. As in previous years, the event was also supported by The Submarine Family. On Saturday 27 January, a service of remembrance led by Reverend Stephen Dray was held in Elder Park, Govan, adjacent to Fairfield’s Shipbuilding where K13 was built, followed by a visit to the Fairfield’s Heritage Centre. In addition, a short church service was held in the base church prior to the memorial service at Faslane Cemetery, where the majority of the crew that perished are buried. Alongside the serving and veteran submariners attending, was Mr Alistair Swift who had travelled from Aberdeen. Alistair’s Grandfather, Joe Swift survived the sinking of K13. *** Local Caption ***
K13 MEMORIAL SERVICE AT FASLANE Pictured: Naval personnel, Veterans and Cadets gathered at Faslane Cemetery Today, 28 Jan 2024, Naval personnel, Veterans and Cadets gathered at Faslane Cemetery to remember those who died onboard K13. Veterans, cadets and serving Royal Navy submariners gathered recently to remember those lost during an early maritime disaster. Submarine K13 sank during sea trials on the Gareloch on January 29, 1917, leading to the tragic death of 32 people on board. Over the weekend of January 27-28, the West of Scotland branch of the Submariners Association commemorated the 107th anniversary of the K13 disaster. The event was supported by the Barrow-In-Furness, Essex, Dolphin, and Scottish branches of the Association who headed to HM Naval Base Clyde to join members of HMS Neptune, Submarine Flotilla, Submarine Qualification Course (North), RM Band Scotland, and the Clydebank and Helensburgh Sea Cadets. As in previous years, the event was also supported by The Submarine Family. On Saturday 27 January, a service of remembrance led by Reverend Stephen Dray was held in Elder Park, Govan, adjacent to Fairfield’s Shipbuilding where K13 was built, followed by a visit to the Fairfield’s Heritage Centre. In addition, a short church service was held in the base church prior to the memorial service at Faslane Cemetery, where the majority of the crew that perished are buried. Alongside the serving and veteran submariners attending, was Mr Alistair Swift who had travelled from Aberdeen. Alistair’s Grandfather, Joe Swift survived the sinking of K13. *** Local Caption ***
K13 MEMORIAL SERVICE AT FASLANE Pictured: Veterans taking part in the K13 Remembrance Service at Faslane Cemetery Today, 28 Jan 2024, Naval personnel, Veterans and Cadets gathered at Faslane Cemetery to remember those who died onboard K13. Veterans, cadets and serving Royal Navy submariners gathered recently to remember those lost during an early maritime disaster. Submarine K13 sank during sea trials on the Gareloch on January 29, 1917, leading to the tragic death of 32 people on board. Over the weekend of January 27-28, the West of Scotland branch of the Submariners Association commemorated the 107th anniversary of the K13 disaster. The event was supported by the Barrow-In-Furness, Essex, Dolphin, and Scottish branches of the Association who headed to HM Naval Base Clyde to join members of HMS Neptune, Submarine Flotilla, Submarine Qualification Course (North), RM Band Scotland, and the Clydebank and Helensburgh Sea Cadets. As in previous years, the event was also supported by The Submarine Family. On Saturday 27 January, a service of remembrance led by Reverend Stephen Dray was held in Elder Park, Govan, adjacent to Fairfield’s Shipbuilding where K13 was built, followed by a visit to the Fairfield’s Heritage Centre. In addition, a short church service was held in the base church prior to the memorial service at Faslane Cemetery, where the majority of the crew that perished are buried. Alongside the serving and veteran submariners attending, was Mr Alistair Swift who had travelled from Aberdeen. Alistair’s Grandfather, Joe Swift survived the sinking of K13. *** Local Caption ***
Royal Navy personnel from HM Naval Base Clyde visited Centre 81 in Garelochhead yesterday (March 1), to serve a late (or very early) Christmas dinner to the veterans of the Garelochhead Station Trust. A group of ten volunteers from the Base, including the Naval Base Commander, took some time out of their day to go along and serve a three-course Christmas Dinner to around sixty people. The event was originally scheduled for December 21, however, due to the changing Covid restrictions at the time this had to be postponed. So, with Christmas a distant memory, a full turkey dinner with all the trimmings was cooked and served to the members of the trust on Pancake Tuesday. There was even a Christmas sing-along to make everyone feel festive. Commodore Bob Anstey, Naval Base Commander said: It is a great pleasure to be able to join the Garelochhead Station Trust Team in supporting the community veterans belated Christmas lunch and it is heartening to see that while Covid may have delayed their festive celebrations it couldnt beat them. We at HMNB Clyde are very proud of our association with the Trust and we look forward to continuing to support them in their hugely worthwhile endeavours. The Garelochhead Station Trust was established in June 2019 as an organisation to help ensure that veterans and their families have easy access to the services that they are entitled to, in a warm and informal setting. The group hold a brunch club every fortnight where they can get together, have a bite to eat, chat with old friends and make new ones too.
Pictured: Commodore Bob Anstey, Flag Officer Scotland and Northern Ireland, presents the cheque to Ian Cumming MBE CEO, The Erskine Home. L-R Front row CPO Lewis, Mr Eddie Munro (resident), Mr Barry Hutchinon (resident), LCH Ellison. L-R Back row CPO Murry, Cdre Anstey, Ian Cumming MBE (CEO) and Jim Watret. FASLANE- based Royal Navy personnel visited Erskine Veterans on Tuesday, March 10 to hand over a cheque for £10,000. Commodore Bob Anstey, Flag Officer Scotland and Northern Ireland, handed over the cheque for £10,000, which has been raised during 2019, which marked 50 years of the Continuous at Sea Deterrent (CASD50). Throughout the year, several events were organised to mark the anniversary and to recognise the dedication of those who have contributed to this vital defence capability.
Erskine Veterans visit HMS Tracker and HMS Raider host Erskine Veterans. 20/09/18 Words to follow
As part of SGN Erskine Bridge pipeline replacement project trees had to be felled in the Boden Boo Community woodland. One of these we have commissioned Johnny Chainsaw to carve a bench for us and we are presenting this to Erskine Reid Activity Centre ar Erskine Hospital for veterans
By Democrat reporter
The Scottish Government has provided funding for 14 charities which offer support to veterans.
Around £460,000 will be given to the groups through the Scottish Veterans Fund, including £50,000 each for two employment charities and just shy of that figure to help “build the community of LGBT veterans”.
Veterans minister Graeme Dey announced the move during a visit to the Thistle Foundation in Edinburgh, which will receive more than £34,000 to support 150 veterans living with long-term health conditions and their families.
The minister said: “The Scottish Veterans Fund has provided £2.8m to support ex-service personnel and their families since it was established by this government in 2008.
“Our armed forces and veterans make a valuable contribution to society, and it is important that they continue to receive the best support possible.
“This fund allows charities across Scotland to continue their excellent work, ensuring veterans can access the support they need and are not disadvantaged by their service or the circumstances they find themselves in.”
Thistle Foundation chief executive Mark Hoolahan said: “At Thistle we have been committed to supporting veterans and their families since 1944.
“Many of the veterans that come to Thistle have had extremely difficult and challenging life experiences.
“Veterans tell us that, often, support is difficult to come by, and by the time they reach us we find that it can take longer to engage in our support.
“That’s why it’s absolutely vital that funding like this is made available through the Scottish Government so that we can engage veterans at an earlier point and support them to live lives that are about thriving and contributing rather than just surviving.”