Fund receives £15K grant to support veterans in Scotland

The RAF Benevolent Fund received a generous grant of £15,000 to support veterans and their partners and widows living in Scotland throughout 2021. The grant was kindly awarded by the Scottish Veterans Fund to tackle social isolation and loneliness amongst the veteran community.

The grant has been used to support some of the Fund’s key emotional wellbeing services accessed by veterans. This includes its Telephone Friendship Groups, a weekly call for up to six people facilitated by a trained volunteer, and Check and Chat calls, where Fund staff regularly phone socially isolated members of the RAF Family. Other services include the Fund's Listening and Counselling service and access to Headspace, an online mindfulness platform.

Gavin Davey, Area Director for Scotland, Northern Ireland, and NE England at the RAF Benevolent Fund said: "Social isolation is one of the key issues faced by older veterans today, and one that has sadly been exacerbated by the impact of Covid-19. Many of our emotional wellbeing services aim to help those experiencing loneliness and isolation, and its thanks to organisations like the Scottish Veterans Fund that we can continue providing this crucial welfare support."