Memoria Donation Supports Erskine Veterans and Enhances Garden of Reflection

The Erskine Veterans Charity Garden of Reflection at Memoria’s Paisley Woodside Cemetery and Crematorium was recently given a spruce-up ahead of a generous donation presentation by parent company the Memoria Group.

The £17,000 donation, which was raised through Memoria’s participation in the Institute of Cemetery and Crematorium Management National Recycling of Metals Scheme, will help support nearly 1,300 of Erskine’s veterans each year. Through this initiative, metals and orthopaedic implants are sensitively recovered following cremation, with the consent of bereaved families.

Caitlin Brown, Corporate & Partnerships Fundraiser at Erskine Veterans Charity, was delighted to meet with the Memoria team and accept the £17,000 donation on behalf of the charity, thanking everyone involved for their continued support of veterans and their families.

Manager of the Paisley site, Stewart Walker, said: “Memoria Paisley Woodside Memorial Park & Crematorium has been proudly serving the families of Paisley since 1845. In a year that marks the 110th anniversary of Erskine Veterans Charity, we see it as only fitting that we show our support to those who have served at the highest level. We are proud and honoured to make this donation and to help make sure Erskine is there when those who served us all may need it most.”

Erskine volunteer Ida Robertson said: “I love spending time in the Garden of Reflection, keeping the garden looking lovely, and, as I work, memories of my late husband are always with me. After my husband’s passing, the team from Paisley Woodside Cemetery and Crematorium took care of everything, and I can’t thank them enough. This is my way of saying thank you to them and of remembering my husband and all the Erskine veterans who have gone before.”

Sara Bannerman, Erskine Head of Fundraising and Communications, said: “We are delighted with the wonderful support we have once again received from Memoria Paisley Woodside Cemetery and Crematorium and thank everyone involved in the initiative who made the donation possible. The generous £17,000 donation will help us continue delivering vital care and support to veterans and their families across Scotland. We are honoured to welcome veterans and families to the dedicated Erskine Garden of Reflection, where they can visit and remember in such a beautifully peaceful place.”

As Scotland’s leading provider of care for veterans and their spouses, Erskine Veterans Charity combines its two care homes with a broader range of services, including transitional supported accommodation, assisted living apartments, veterans’ activity centres, and a home support service. The model is designed to reach more veterans and their families across Scotland, including those living beyond the immediate vicinity of Erskine’s residential facilities.