Chair

Councillor Mark Horsham

Members Present

• Archie Aitken, Lead Officer for Veterans Issues, North Lanarkshire Council
• Geraldine McCann, Lead Officer for Veterans Issues, South Lanarkshire Council
• Catherine Johnstone and Andrew Craney, North Lanarkshire Council
• David McAllister, SSAFA, the Armed Forces Charity
• Lynne Wyllie, Administration Assistant, South Lanarkshire Council
• Eric Foy and June Weir, Skills Development Scotland
• Audrey Cuthbertson, Armed Services Advice Project (ASAP)
• Frank Caldwell and Kevin Goodwin, Welfare Managers, Veterans UK
• Stuart Roberts, Office of the Lieutenancy
• Les Obre, Quality Improvement Officer, Education Resources, South Lanarkshire Council
• Craig Cunningham, Veterans Champion, NHS Lanarkshire
• Gavin Davey OBE, Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund
• Scott Muir, SACRO
• Michele O’Brien, Combat Stress Scotland
• Colonel Ted Shields MBE, Chief Executive, Lowland Reserve Forces and Cadet Association
• Mark Spowart and Barry Wylie, Department for Work and Pensions
• Ross Thomson, Poppyscotland
• David Cowin, Veterans Scotland
• Claire Sally, The Forces Employment Charity
• Claire Dymond, Enable
• Oliver Ryan, Job Centre Plus, Department for Work and Pensions
• Cat Leatherby, Operations Manager, Routes to Work
• Dr Jennifer Ring, Veterans First Point
• Kenny Cumming, Defence Medical Welfare Service (DMWS)

Apologies

• Councillor Davie Cullen, Veterans Champion, North Lanarkshire Council
• Captain Andy Blair, MOD, C Company (6 SCOTS)
• Emma Gration, Outreach Officer (Scotland) BLESMA
• Debbie Moretti, MOD
• Jane Menzies, Combat Stress Scotland
• Dave Gibson, Fares4Free
• Col Tony Phillips, Deputy Commander, 51 Brigade
• Brian Hendrie, Alcoholics Anonymous
• Shaun Cauvin, Veterans Scotland
• Tom Falconer, Health and Safety Officer, Education Resources, South Lanarkshire Council

Chair’s Opening Remarks

The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting.

Outcome(s): Position noted.

Note of Previous Meeting

The note of the meeting of the Firm Base held on 19 May 2021 were submitted for approval as a correct record. 

Outcome(s): Minutes approved.

Presentation - Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)

Mark Spowart, Armed Forces Champion for South West Scotland, DWP gave a presentation on:-

• the DWP’s Armed Forces’ Champions and their contact details
• the Armed Forces’ community and who they supported
• the types of collaborative support available
• additional support
• what the Universal Credit website page would look like
• the work of the Work Coaches
• details of the referral inbox

Mr Spowart, having responded to questions from the Group, was thanked for his informative presentation.

Outcome(s): Presentation noted.

Presentation - Poppyscotland

Ross Thomson, Public Affairs and Campaign Manager, Poppyscotland gave a presentation on:-

• the work of Poppyscotland
• the welfare services provided
• the employment support available
• the Poppy Bud, which was an interactive /learning and outreach space
• public affairs and public policy
• the Poppy Appeal and fundraising

Mr Thomson, having responded to questions from the Group, was thanked for his informative presentation.

Outcome(s): Presentation noted.

Michele O’Brien, Combat Stress Scotland provided an update on the veteran’s charity that treated veterans with mental health difficulties and had been ongoing since 1919.

The service had evolved massively over the years.  The charity accepted referrals from veterans from the UK Armed Forces and the Merchant Navy and also non-operational operatives.  However, this service was only available to veterans that were living in the UK and registered with a GP.  They offered a range of treatments, which had been a challenge over the past 18 months due to the pandemic, however, they had been treating veterans online with complex or stress related issues, specifically resulting from their military service such as PTSD, complex PTSD, anxiety and depression.  They were unable to treat veterans with dependency issues such as alcohol/drug dependency.  They also helped veterans with moral injuries such as shame, guilt or issues that went against their core beliefs or values.

Combat Stress was not a crisis service and were unable to offer treatment to veterans who were in crisis, however, they could refer them on to the appropriate service that could meet their needs at that time and take a re-referral after that.

In Scotland they have now been delivering face to face treatments in the community with online assessments still taking place, however, for some veterans who found online digital meetings difficult, Combat Stress were still able to treat and assess them over the phone.

Their team was multi-disciplinary, and they also offered a female only group run by a female Peer Support Worker.  There was also a webinar programme delivered entitled “Together Programme” and this was available for veterans’ partners and their families.

Their residential property in Ayr had now closed and they were currently looking to relocate to Edinburgh and Glasgow.

Combat Stress were keen to collaborate and co-locate with other services in the community.

Ms O’Brien, having responded to questions from the Group, was thanked for her informative presentation.

Outcome(s): Presentation noted.

Presentation – Veterans’ Garden

Les Obre, Quality Improvement Officer, Education Resources, South Lanarkshire Council gave a presentation on the Veterans’ Garden which was a garden that had been created for veterans within South Lanarkshire. The garden named the “Joint Ex Service Veterans Garden” was located at 57 Abbotsford Road, Hamilton, ML3 0PL and operated Monday to Friday from 9.00am to 2.00pm and had flexible hours at the weekend.  The garden was a registered charity and was leased from South Lanarkshire Council.  It had taken over 2 years to remove, refurbish and repair the land for fruit and vegetables to flourish.  It was intended that veterans could use the produce free of charge.  The garden was also a place for veterans to go along and either help-out or just chat in the café.  South Lanarkshire Council would like veterans to be made aware of this garden/facility.

Those veterans wishing to access the garden did not require to be  referred to the facility and could simply come along during the stated opening times.

The garden had a been mostly funded by the Lottery Fund with advice and guidance from the Hamilton British Legion.

Mr Obre, having responded to questions from the Group, was thanked for his informative presentation.

Outcome(s): Presentation noted.

Presentation – Enable

Claire Dymond, Enable gave a presentation on the Fairstart Scotland Programme and how it helped people leaving the Army or any of the Armed Forces. 

Enable worked alongside Fairstart Scotland, which was a government funded contract and supported people with barriers back into employment.  It also helped them with housing and other issues. 

Ms Dymond advised that she covered the North Lanarkshire area, however, would take referrals from other areas and pass them on to the relevant person within Fairstart Scotland.

Veterans involved in the Programme received a year’s free employment support to help them, hopefully, to move on to long-term sustainable employment.

Ms Dymond, having responded to questions from the Group, was thanked for her informative presentation.

Outcome(s): Presentation noted.

Date of Next Meeting

The next meeting of the Group would be held on Wednesday 19 January 2022 at 2pm.

Outcome(s): Position noted.

Any Other Competent Business

There were no items of urgent business.

Outcome(s): Position noted.