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Or direct bank transfer at Sort Code 08-91-04  Account - 12266421 Name - JOHN ROBERTSON

From Help for veterans and families published yesterday:

A scheme to help wounded or sick veterans recover their confidence through golf is among 30 projects to receive backing from the Scottish Veterans Fund.

Veterans Minister Graeme Dey announced successful applicants to the £600,000 Scottish Veterans Fund on a visit to the On Course Foundation at Drumoig Golf Hotel in Fife.

The fund, which the Scottish Government had committed to maintaining for the rest of the parliament was in fact boosted with a further £100,000 in the 26-27 budget, a 20% increase.

The On Course Foundation has been awarded £39,008 over three years to run golf activities across Scotland aimed at improving confidence, reintegration to civilian life and improving employment opportunities.

Other recipients of the 2026-27 funding round include:

• Scottish Veterans Residences, which is awarded £40,000 for employability and mental health work with homeless ex-servicemen and women
• Shared Parenting Scotland, which will receive £16,500 to work with veterans and their families who are going through family break-up
• Erskine which receives £9631 to support veterans experiencing hearing loss.

Since being launched in 2008, the Scottish Veterans Fund has provided more than £3.8 million to nearly 220 individual projects supporting ex-service personnel and their families.

https://www.gov.scot/news/help-for-veterans-and-families/

How does this compare with similar schemes in England?

Scotland’s SVF often better meets localized, community-driven needs (like the golf scheme for confidence/recovery), with direct government grants fostering innovation and quick adaptation in a smaller nation. It’s praised for targeted, devolved flexibility and consistent parliamentary commitment.

Also, universal benefits like free prescriptions (available to all residents in Scotland since 2011) and a greater supply of affordable housing (driven by Scotland’s ambitious social housing programs) do help meet the needs of veterans, particularly in areas like health management, financial relief, and preventing or addressing homelessness. These policies are devolved to Scotland and provide broader population-level advantages that benefit veterans alongside the general public, often complementing targeted veteran-specific support.

Please Support Talking-up Scotland at:

https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/support-talking-up-scotland

Click on the above.

Or direct bank transfer at Sort Code 08-91-04  Account - 12266421 Name - JOHN ROBERTSON