Events...  

Staff to embark on key Land, Sea and Air adventure to support Houses for Heroes

Following in the spirit of the SVGCA Volunteer Distrcit Committees' fundraising activities, the staff at head office in Edinburgh are also stepping up to the plate this year to raise the profile of the Houses for Heroes appeal.

The CEO Peter Minshall announced in the autumn of 2011 that he would support the Houses for Heroes appeal, by planning to swim across the Gulf of Corryvreckan.  Other staff colleagues, Ann Hamilton and Caroline Wilkinson, decided to match this and so was born the idea that the Head Office staff of SVGCA, would go walkabout during 2012, to help raise funds towards the cost of a new adapted house for a disabled ex-Serviceman.

The event will take place between April and June.

Here's what they have to say in their own words...

A Wee 'Walk'

28 April - 6 May 2012

“I am planning to walk from Inverness to Edinburgh Castle via Aberdeen and Stirling, so I can avoid the Forth Road Bridge, as I cannot stand heights (!) a total of around 270 miles. The journey will take nine days, averaging around thirty miles a day. I will have the privilege of being escorted by my dog Skye, members of the Personnel Recovery Unit from Craigiehall, Service personnel from RAF Leuchars, the Chairman and others, who will join me on the road. It is a huge honour too, that the President, along with recovering personnel from the Recovery Treatment Centre at Gilmerton, are going to join me on the last leg of the walk through Edinburgh, where the President will lay a wreath at the War Memorial on the High Street to commemorate those fallen heroes from recent conflicts."

Ann Hamilton
Finance Manager

A Wee 'Drop'

“I hate flying and I don’t have a head for heights, so this should be a real blast. I like challenges and I’ve done a bungee jump before, which was great, but I am so glad that Betsy Dorfman from the Royal British Legion Scotland is going to tumble out with me and we’re both pleased to be doing this to help such an important appeal.”


Housing Manager

A Wee 'Paddle'

23 June 2012

“Whilst no walk in the park (I’ve been in training since September, 2011 - courtesy of Edinburgh Leisure), swimming across the Corryvreckan is certainly a beautiful part of the world in which to carry out such an unusual pursuit. I am to be joined by some ex-Service colleagues, and equally mad friends but all united in one aim, to help raise money to house disabled ex-Service personnel.”



Peter Minshall
Chief Executive

January 2012

Minister for Housing visits Houses for Heroes offices in Edinburgh The Minister for Housing and Transport (with a brief for Veterans Affairs), Keith Brown MSP visited the offices of The Sottish Veterans' Garden City Association on Tuesday 12th January, 2012.  He was recieved by the President Lord Selkirk and the Chairman Lt Colonel Richard Callander.  He met the staff, Ann Hamilton and Caroline Wilkinson and was shown the operational workings of the Veterans Scotland Central Housing Register.  The Chief Executive, Peter Minshall, gave a PowerPoint presentation on the aims and objectives of the organisation.  Mr Brown showed great interest and the way is now paved for further discussions with the Scottish Government.  SVGCA is grateful for the Minister's time and understanding concerning the housing needs of the disabled ex-Service community in Scotland.

December 2011

Houses for Heroes launches a new song for Scotland

A new song for Scotland entitled SCOTLAND BEHOLD © written by Peter Minshall, from a competition brief offered by the Glasgow Herald in 1997, has been put together, for the first time, as a YouTube video to support Houses for Heroes. The choral version was arranged by Stewart Robertson (late director Florida Grand Opera) and sung by the 'Sirens', recorded live at the RSAMD in 2009. The video clip that is now viewable on YouTube, was produced by Peter Minshall, Ann Hamilton and Caroline Wilkinson at the offices of The Scottish Veterans' Garden City Association (SVGCA) in Edinburgh. You can listen to it by clicking here or by clicking the YouTube logo at the top of the page.

November 2011

Towergate Charitable Foundation Supports Houses for Heroes Appeal

Towergate Charitable Foundation are proud to support our Houses for Heroes Appeal.  Stuart George from the Foundation came to visit the Scottish Veterans' Garden City Association at New Haig House in Edinburgh to hand over the 'cheque' on 4th November, 2011. The very kind donation has been much appreciated by Houses for Heroes and there are plans underway to develop the relationship in the coming months.

                 

Ann Hamilton (SVGCA) - Stuart George (Towergate) - Peter Minshall (SVGCA) - Caroline Wilkinson (SVGCA)

October 2011

Chief Executive starts training* to swim the Gulf of Corryvreckan in support of the
Houses for Heroes appeal - follow the Blog

* Edinburgh Leisure are pleased to be sponsoring Peter's swimming training

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July 2011

 

Appeal President opens new cottages at Airdrie

Formal Opening of New SVGCA Houses at Airdrie 22nd July 2011

Colonel Robert Watson (Past Chairman of SVGCA), Lt Colonel Mark Stead (CO Personnel Recovery Unit), Lt Colonel Richard Callander (Chairman SVGCA), Mary Sweeney (Hon Secretary North Lanarkshire SVGCA District Committee), Lord Selkirk (President SVGCA), Douglas Osler (Chairman Scottish War Blinded), Provost Tom Curly (North Lanarkshire), Jan McLaughlin-Mack (Deputy Lord Lieutenant) Fraser Bedwell (Poppyscotland)

North Lanarkshire District Committee can be justifiably proud of their achievement in overseeing the building of two new disabled friendly cottages, which were completed on time and under budget

Together, Bernard and Mary Sweeney worked with the Chartered Surveyors, Graham and Sibbald and the builders Ross and Laidlaw, to ensure that the cottages were completed to the brief. Lord Selkirk, President of the Appeal, paid tribute to them, and all involved in what has a been another very successful building project

This much needed housing project was only possible because of the many generous contributions, including major donations from Scottish War Blinded, The Henry Smith Charity and Poppyscotland

Proud Moment...



The past Chairman Colonel Robert Watson OBE unveils a plaque on one of the new Airdrie cottages, named in his honour, a surprise co-ordinated by Mrs Mary Sweeney.  The other cottage was named after the Henry Smith Charity.

More Information...

Still Great News and a Big THANK YOU to all our supporters

On 30^th April 2008 the ‘Houses for Heroes’ Appeal was launched at a Reception within Edinburgh Castle hosted by the First Minister. The aim was to raise £6M in five years to provide 60 wheelchair friendly houses for the young, often severely disabled, Servicemen and women who would have to leave the Armed Forces as a result of injuries suffered on recent and current operations. Three years on from then, and with huge thanks to all our supporters, we have achieved the following:

Received, or been promised, just under £3.3M in donations

Built 20 new houses, and converted two of our bungalows, to full wheelchair standard

Received planning permission for a build of up to eight bungalows on a site at Inverness

Received a major grant from ‘Help for Heroes’ towards the full renovation and conversion to wheelchair standard of four of our existing bungalows at Broughty Ferry (Dundee)

Finally, and of key importance, over the last year, in co-operation with the Edinburgh-based Army Personnel Recovery Centre, we have housed twelve young, seriously disabled, soldiers

FUNDRAISING

Since the last Newsletter in September 2010 the total raised by the Appeal has increased by some £285,000 to £3,293,793 thanks to a large number of hugely appreciated donations, notably from The Christina Mary Hendrie Trust and, as mentioned above, the Help for Heroes Fund. The Blake Concert, for which we owe particular thanks to the ‘Classical Fab Four’, and run by our Perth District Committee on 22 October, was very well supported both on the night itself and by generous sponsors beforehand. The Concert raised the fantastic sum, after all costs were paid, of over £25,000. Costs, covered by the Association, continue to be held at £11,400 or only one third of one per cent of the total raised. Every penny donated goes into the building work.

BUILDING

Phase 3 - Linburn Court, Penicuik

                      

The official opening of the four bungalows, by Mr Douglas Ostler, Chairman of Scottish War Blinded (SWB), took place, in very wet weather, on 29 October. The main funders of this phase were SWB, Poppyscotland and The Royal Scots Benevolent Society.

Phase 4b - Airdrie

                             

Work stated in September 2010 and, in spite of some appalling weather, has stuck close to programme and budget for a planned completion in April.

Phase 5 - Inverness (Milton of Leys)

Tulloch Homes, after gaining planning permission, have very generously donated to us the site at Milton on Leys.  Work has now started on the detailed planning and costs for up to eight bungalows.  We have some funding already to hand and are now about to launch a local ‘Highland Houses for Heroes’ campaign to raise the further funding needed.

Phase 6 - Dundee (Broughty Ferry)

                       

Thanks to a grant of £150,000 from ‘Help for Heroes’ (H4H), funding is in place for the conversion of four existing bungalows to full wheelchair standard. These will be reserved for those who have been wounded or injured on operations post 9/11.  This will be the final phase of a £1.45M renovation scheme of our 36 houses at Broughty Ferry which has been running separate from, but in parallel with, the ‘Houses for Heroes’ Appeal. £1,359,034 has been raised so far thanks to very generous donations from Scottish War Blinded, ABF The Soldiers, Charity, The RAF Benevolent Fund, Seafarers UK, H4H and a number of local Trusts and Charities.

Thank you for the tremendous support you have given, and in many cases continue to give, to ‘Houses for Heroes’.  When the houses at Inverness and Broughty Ferry are completed we will have provided 34 extra, disabled-friendly houses.

We have come a long way in recent times but still have some way to go as we continue to acquire more houses. The need grows ever more urgent as casualties increase. We are working closely with all our fellow ex-Service Housing Charities in Scotland to get there as soon as funding allows.

Help us provide houses for disabled ex-Service personnel

The Gift that goes on giving...



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