Erskine, the veterans' charity based in Bishopton, has launched a national fundraising campaign with the aim of raising £15 million a year by 2031 to support former servicemen and women across Scotland.
The campaign, called Made in the Military, Rebuilding with Erskine, has been unveiled ahead of this year's Remembrance commemorations and comes as the charity marks its 110th anniversary.
Pride in service, struggles after it
Created by an Edinburgh creative agency, the campaign borrows the look of traditional military recruitment adverts. It sets the pride, skills and resilience people gain in the Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force against the harder things many face once they leave, including depression, loneliness and poor mental health.
Sara Bannerman, Erskine's director of fundraising and communications, said: "For many veterans, serving in the Armed Forces is a source of enormous pride. It shapes who they are, creates lifelong friendships and gives them a sense of purpose and belonging. But when that chapter of their life comes to an end, those things can be difficult to replace."
To protect the privacy of the people Erskine supports, the adverts use professional actors rather than real veterans, but the scenarios are based on the lived experiences of former service personnel.
Where the adverts will appear
The campaign runs across Scotland through the Remembrance period on radio, online, in print, on the STV Player and on outdoor displays at major railway stations in Glasgow and Edinburgh.
More than care homes
For more than a century Erskine has provided specialist nursing, residential and dementia care for veterans and their spouses. Its work now stretches well beyond its care homes. The Veterans Village in Bishopton offers family homes, assisted living and transitional supported accommodation, and the charity runs Veterans Activity Centres in Bishopton and Forres, where veterans can meet, take part in activities and get practical help. Its Home Support service helps veterans keep living independently in their own homes, and the charity is looking at opening a new activity centre in Fife.
Ms Bannerman said: "Our ambition to raise £15 million a year by 2031 is about ensuring we can continue to be there for Scotland's veterans, not just today but for generations to come. As their needs change, our services must continue to evolve, and we want to reach more veterans who may be struggling without the support they deserve."
Anyone who would like to support the campaign can donate through Erskine's website at erskine.org.uk/donate.
Photo: Road at Erskine Veterans Village, Bishopton, by Steven Brown, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.