We are delighted that the Army Benevolent Fund has continued their terrific regular support of Erskine’s Army beneficiaries with a grant of £150,000. This funding will directly support our delivery of enhanced care services to Army Veterans and their spouses at The Erskine Home, Bishopton. The ABF is one of Erskine’s longest-standing supporters and we sincerely thank the Trustees and the Scotland Grants Committee for this latest grant. 

 Our dedicated and skilled staff at The Erskine Home, Bishopton continue to provide outstanding care and support to elderly and disabled Veterans and their spouses. We are proud to deliver a unique range of on-site enhanced care services including Physiotherapy, Speech and Language Therapy, our Advanced Nurse Practitioner service and our regular Activities programme. These all support our residents to benefit from the best possible quality of life and regular social engagement with like-minded fellow Veterans. 

Around 60% of Erskine’s care residents are Army beneficiaries. One of our Home’s youngest Army Veterans is Chris Downie who lives in Pearson House. Chris joined the Army straight after leaving school and had six years of active service: he is very proud of this and enjoyed his time in the Forces. After leaving the Army, Chris worked as a delivery driver for Arnold Clark. At age 32, he was involved in a head-on collision with another vehicle and had to be resuscitated three times. He spent four months in a coma and was left with significant brain injuries affecting his communication, memory and mobility. He also struggled with alcohol dependency for years after his accident.

Chris moved into our Home in 2020 and has made huge progress with his health and quality of life since coming here. Chris is living a more active life thanks to our amazing frontline staff, particularly our Physiotherapist. Shortly after moving in, Chris was assessed for an electric wheelchair which quickly gave him much more independence. He is a regular attendee at our gym and has made significant progress with his mobility over the past few years. Chris has often said he really wants to walk again and our Physiotherapist has given him a specialist taurus walker which supports the upper body when walking. Thanks to this support, Chris walked the full length of our gym for the first time earlier this year and he was delighted with this achievement. Chris benefits hugely from our Home’s on-site enhanced care services and we simply could not offer this without the significant generosity of the Army Benevolent Fund. 

 Erskine’s Chief Executive, Ian Cumming MBE: “I would like to warmly thank the Army Benevolent Fund for this incredible grant and for continuing their generous long-standing support of Erskine’s Army community. Our Army Veterans and spouses enjoy a high quality of life together thanks to our experienced and dedicated staff and the positive, supportive setting offered by our Home. After 110 years of support, Erskine continues to deliver on our promise that Veterans should never be forgotten and never be left behind. We can only deliver this standard of care and support for our beneficiaries thanks to phenomenal supporters like the ABF.” 

 The Army Benevolent Fund’s Chief Operating Officer, Brigadier (Ret’d) Peter Monteith: “We are delighted to award our long-standing partner, Erskine, with a grant to help former soldiers living in its care homes in Scotland. The Army Benevolent Fund is here to provide lifelong support for those who have served their country. Thanks to Erskine’s expert care, and with the help of our funding, Army veterans resident in the charity’s homes are able to live with independence and dignity in a supportive environment.” 

 The Army Benevolent Fund is the Army’s national charity and stands at the forefront of support for soldiers, past and present, and their families. As one of the sector’s largest funders, the ABF awards grants to individuals and families, and funds leading organisations to ensure help is there for Army beneficiaries when they need it. For more information on their work, please visit https://armybenevolentfund.org/.