Veterans Scotland

09/10/2026

🗞️ Stronger Together: News, Progress and Opportunities Across Scotland’s Veterans Community

From important developments in veterans’ mental health support to inspiring stories of connection, collaboration and community, our latest Veterans Scotland newsletter brings together news, updates and opportunities from across Scotland’s Armed Forces and Veterans Community.

Read our latest newsletter:
https://mailchi.mp/10ee19bce9ce/veterans-scotland-monthly-newsletter-8341135

Please share with your networks to help these important stories, services and opportunities reach those who need them most.

Stay connected with veteran stories, upcoming activities, and the latest news from across Scotland.

08/10/2026

📚Reading Force will be attending the Veterans’ Drop-in at the Erskine Veterans Charity Activity Centre in Forres, bringing people together through the power of shared reading.

When: Tuesday 13th
Time 10:00am – 12:30
Location: Erskine Veterans Activity Centre
Forres, IV36 1EL

Whether you’re a veteran, currently serving, part of a military family or simply want to learn more about the support and connections available, this is a wonderful opportunity to come along, meet people and find out more.

📢PLEASE SHARE THIS POST with anyone in Forres, Elgin, Moray and the surrounding areas who might benefit from knowing about this event.

A simple share could help reach a veteran or family who would really appreciate the opportunity to connect.

We’re out and about! 📚💙

Over the next week, the Reading Force team will be at a number of events for veterans and their families.

We’re really looking forward to meeting new people, catching up with the community and raising awareness of how Reading Force brings families together through the power of shared reading.

Take a look at the dates and locations in the poster - and if you’re at any of these events, please come and say hello to our Ambassadors Terry Stuart, Chartered FCIPD or Lucy Fryer.

We’d love to meet you 💙

08/10/2026

💷 Funding Opportunity: Scottish Veterans Fund Small Grants Now Open!

Organisations across Scotland are being encouraged to apply for funding to deliver projects that make a meaningful difference to veterans and their families.

The Scottish Government’s Scottish Veterans Fund has reopened its Small Grants stream, with £100,000 available to support projects that strengthen Scotland’s Armed Forces community.

Grants of £1,000 to £10,000 are available for one-year projects that aim to:

• Support veterans and their families, helping to improve wellbeing and overcome challenges associated with military service.

• Strengthen connections between serving personnel, veterans and their wider communities.

• Help veterans and their families navigate the transition from military to civilian life.

• Deliver innovative, practical support that responds to the needs of Scotland’s veterans community.

Who can apply?

Eligible organisations include legally constituted charities, not-for-profit organisations and statutory bodies with a qualifying presence in Scotland. Partnership applications are also welcome where a Scotland-based organisation leads the project.

Applications should demonstrate a clear need, achievable outcomes and measurable benefits for veterans and their families.

📅 Application deadline: Friday 20 November 2026, at 11:59pm.

This funding presents an important opportunity for organisations across Scotland to develop meaningful projects, strengthen community connections and deliver lasting positive outcomes for those who have served.

🔗 Full funding guidance, eligibility criteria and application details:

https://loom.ly/BpdAK64

Organisations supporting Scotland’s veterans community are encouraged to explore this opportunity and share it with others who may benefit.

The Scottish Veterans Fund small grants are now open.

I'm pleased to share that the small grants stream of the Scottish Government's Scottish Veterans Fund has re-opened for applications.

A total of £100,000 is available for the next financial year, with organisations able to bid for up to £10,000 for one year projects that:
✅ support veterans and their families in Scotland
✅ support serving families alongside the veterans community

Applications are now open and close on Friday 20 November 2026.

For more information and to apply click the link below.

https://loom.ly/BpdAK64

08/10/2026

📈A significant and very welcome step forward for veterans’ mental health and wellbeing support in Scotland.

Veterans Scotland is delighted to welcome the launch of the new National Veterans Mental Health and Wellbeing Service, which will be delivered by Combat Stress, Help For Heroes Hidden Wounds Service and DMWS, working in partnership with local health boards.

Bringing together recognised expertise, strong partnerships and a shared commitment to Scotland’s veterans, the new service represents an important opportunity to strengthen mental health and wellbeing support and help ensure veterans can access timely, tailored support wherever they live in Scotland.

Effective support depends on collaboration, and we are encouraged to see organisations working together to build a more connected and responsive approach to veterans’ mental health and wellbeing.

We look forward to seeing the Service develop and, most importantly, the positive difference it will make to veterans and their families.

Read The Scottish Government announcement:
https://www.gov.scot/news/supporting-armed-forces-veterans/

Increasing mental health provision for ex-service men and women.

07/10/2026

📌Edinburgh’s Gardens of Remembrance opens Saturday 24 October.

As Remembrance approaches, Edinburgh’s Gardens of Remembrance will open at the Scott Monument on Saturday 24 October 2026.

The Gardens provides a special place in the heart of the city where veterans, families, supporters and members of the wider community can come together to pause, reflect and remember all those who have served and sacrificed.

We invite you to visit the Gardens during the Remembrance season, pay your respects and take a moment to remember.

We Will Remember Them.

Edinburgh’s Gardens of Remembrance

As we prepare for this year’s Remembrance, we are looking forward to beginning October with the opening of Edinburgh’s Gardens of Remembrance at the Scott Monument

📅 Saturday 24th October 2026

The Gardens of Remembrance provide a special place for people to pause, reflect and remember those who have served and sacrificed for our country.

We look forward to coming together with veterans, members, supporters and the wider community as we mark the beginning of the Remembrance season in Edinburgh.

We Will Remember Them

06/10/2026

🤝Veterans Scotland team member Martin Bell was out in Fife this weekend, combining a morning on the new bike with the opportunity to connect with some of the communities at the heart of Scotland’s Armed Forces and veterans network.

Martin’s route took him through St Andrews and Crail, where a stop at the local Royal British Legion offered another reminder of the important role local organisations and community spaces play in bringing people together.

For Veterans Scotland, being visible and connected across Scotland matters.

Strong communities, local relationships and collaboration all help ensure that veterans, their families and the wider Armed Forces community remain recognised, valued and connected to the support available to them.

And after a few miles on the bike, there was still time for the essentials: a brew, a slice of cake and a great Fife view.

Wherever the road leads, connection and community remain at the heart of it.

05/10/2026

📌Planning ahead for Remembrance Day 2026.

As schools and ELC settings begin to look ahead to Remembrance Day, Armed Forces Families Highland has brought together a range of resources to support planning and learning.

The collection includes information, lesson plans, assembly ideas and resources for different ages and stages. It can be used to support conversations about Remembrance, service and sacrifice, while helping children and young people understand why Remembrance continues to be marked in communities across Scotland and the UK.

It also provides a useful starting point for settings considering how children and young people can be involved in shaping their own Remembrance activities, whether through classroom learning, assemblies or wider community events.

The resources are available to explore here:

🔗 https://armedforcesfamilieshighland.wordpress.com/2026/09/29/plan-ahead-remembrance-day-resources-for-elcs-schools/

Please feel free to share with schools, ELC settings, teachers, practitioners and community partners who may find the resources helpful as they begin their planning.

Remembrance Day is an opportunity to explore and reflect with your Children and Young People what it means to them. How they may like to prepare and mark the day, what they would like to learn abou…

05/10/2026

💙 A new Help for Heroes Community Builder for Glasgow Community Café is launching in the heart of Glasgow!

Help for Heroes is opening its new Community Café at The Nook on Wilson Street, creating a welcoming space for veterans and the wider Armed Forces community to meet, connect and enjoy a coffee together.

The café is completely free to attend, with no booking required. Whether it’s to meet new people, find out about local support and opportunities, or simply have a friendly chat over a coffee, everyone is welcome.

Location: The Nook, Wilson Street, Glasgow
Date: Tuesday
Time: 10:30am to 12:30pm

Following the launch, the Community Café will take place on the first Tuesday of every month.

A fantastic new space for connection, conversation and community. 💙

🎉 We're Launching Our Brand New Help For Heroes Community Café Tomorrow! ☕

We're excited to invite you to the launch of our brand new café at The Nook, Wilson Street, Glasgow, right in the heart of the city!

Whether you're looking to meet new people, enjoy a free coffee, find out what's happening in the local community, or simply have a friendly chat, everyone is welcome to come along.

📍 The Nook, Wilson Street, Glasgow
📅 Tomorrow
⏰ 10:30am - 12:30pm

The café will then continue on the first Tuesday of every month, giving people a relaxed and welcoming space to connect, share experiences, and discover the activities, support, and opportunities available across our community.

💙 It's completely free to attend, and we'd love to see as many of you there as possible.

Come along, bring a friend, grab a coffee, and help us make this new community space something special!

Veterans Scotland
Scottish Veterans Residences (SVR)
Veterans Housing Scotland
Scotland's Veterans Wellbeing Alliance
Glasgow Live
Help for Heroes Community Builder for Edinburgh

☕✨

05/10/2026

🤝 Veterans Scotland’s recent Roadshows in Forres and Orkney provided a valuable opportunity to spend time with organisations supporting the Armed Forces community across Scotland.

The visits were a chance to share more about the role of Veterans Scotland, hear from our members about the services they provide locally, and most importantly, listen to their experiences, ideas and hopes for the future.

Veterans Scotland’s Martin Bell reflected:

“It was great to get out to our more remote colleagues to show our support and to listen to what hopes and fears they have for the future. We can take this learning into policy discussions with our government and statutory service provider colleagues.”

Conversations like these help Veterans Scotland better understand the different experiences of communities across the country and ensure those perspectives are carried forward into its wider work.

A sincere thank you to everyone in Forres and Orkney who took the time to meet, share their experiences and contribute to the conversation.