ABF The Soldiers’ Charity has continued their outstanding long-term support of Erskine with a fantastic grant of £150,000. This grant will support our provision of expert care to elderly Army Veterans and spouses at The Erskine Home, Bishopton. ABF The Soldiers’ Charity has helped Erskine’s Army beneficiaries for many years and we are incredibly grateful for their continued generosity towards these Veterans.

Our dedicated staff at The Erskine Home, Bishopton deliver a unique blend of care and support to elderly Veterans, most of whom live with dementia and other life-limiting conditions. Our enhanced care services include speech and language therapy, physiotherapy, daily activities and input from specialist care staff such as our Clinical Nurse Specialist and Advanced Nurse Practitioners. These on-site services are funded by voluntary income from Erskine’s loyal supporters. We would not be able to provide this exceptional level of care that our Veterans truly deserve without generous supporters like ABF The Soldiers’ Charity.

Almost 60% of Erskine’s residents are Army beneficiaries. This includes Ian McMaster, an 86-year-old who served in the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers for his National Service, part of which was served in Cyprus. Ian loves Erskine and has thrown himself heart and soul into all the activities and social engagement Erskine has to offer. Last year, he headed up the Bike Meet Parade as a passenger in the classic car leading the parade. Ian regularly goes on outings including trips to the Edinburgh Tattoo, football matches and the Erskine Military Ball. He recently completed the 14.4 mile Glasgow Kiltwalk ‘Big Stroll’ event in April as part of a team of seven Veterans.

The ABF’s funding will also support Ian Reid, an 85-year-old Army Veteran from Ayrshire who completed his National Service in the UK. Ian benefits from many of our Home’s enhanced services, particularly the Physiotherapy department. He is also great friends with the other Ian. Ian also attends many events and can often be seen with his friends having a coffee in Harry’s Café or cycling around our grounds on our accessible adapted bikes. 

Erskine’s Chief Executive, Ian Cumming MBE: “On behalf of all the team at Erskine, I sincerely thank the Trustees of ABF The Soldiers’ Charity for this latest generous grant and their exceptional regular support for our Army Veterans and spouses. The Erskine Home, Bishopton has returned to a welcoming and thriving care environment following the removal of COVID restrictions that were in place when the ABF’s previous grant was made last year. This grant will directly help our Home’s Army beneficiaries as we continue to offer a wide range of on-site specialist support and the benefits of our high staff-to-resident ratios. Erskine’s care staff are incredibly proud to support Scotland’s Army Veterans and will maintain our Home’s excellent standards of care with the help of ABF The Soldiers’ Charity – thank you again for this outstanding grant.”

Brigadier (Ret’d) Peter Monteith, Chief Operating Officer, ABF The Soldiers’ Charity: “Our charity is committed to helping all elderly veterans enjoy peace, comfort and dignity in their final years. We are proud of our longstanding relationship with Erskine and value its high quality compassionate care services. We are very pleased to fund its work again this year.”

ABF The Soldiers’ Charity is the Army’s national charity, giving a lifetime of support to serving soldiers, former soldiers and their immediate families when they are in need. The charity awards grants to individuals and families, and funds leading organisations that support soldiers, former soldiers, and their families. To find out more about their work, please visit www.soldierscharity.org.

To find out more about Erskine Veterans Charity’s work please visit our website at www.erskine.org.uk, follow on twitter @ErskineCharity via Facebook www.facebook.com/ErskineVeteransCharity or listen to Erskine Veterans Radio at Erskine.org.uk/radio

To donate directly to Erskine, please visit Erskine.org.uk/donate.

Erskine Veterans Charity is the trading name of Erskine Hospital | Company No. SC174103 | Registered Charity SC006609