Blog: Keeping our older ex-Armed Forces community in the loop

Read all about it - the autumn issue of Unforgotten Forces magazine is out now.

Anyone aged 60 or older who has served in HM Armed forces, whether for a short or a long period, and whether eventfully or uneventfully, may find it of interest, as might their families and friends. Unforgotten Forces, Scotland’s partnership dedicated to the wellbeing of older ex-service men and women, started the magazine to bring to life the wealth of extra opportunities and support available to them. In it, you’ll find real-life stories, topical interviews, news from across the partnership, and more.

This issue we spotlight our newest Unforgotten Forces partners. SSAFA is the oldest charity in the UK for men and women who have served in the Army, Royal Navy, and Royal Air Force. Volunteer case workers at its branched across Scotland can unlock a wide range of financial and practical support for ex-service people who need it. We spoke to SSAFA staff and volunteers, who shared great examples of the many ways they can help.

Also offering practical and financial support is BLESMA, a charity for ex-service men and women who have lost a limb, or use of a limb. BLESMA supports people with limb loss because of military service, but also those whose disability arose afterwards. They also offer fantastic social and activities opportunities, something that they have in common with Veterans Tribe Scotland, our other new partner. The Tribe runs a wide range of online and in-person creative and social activities, from model making to book binding.

For this issue we interviewed key people whose role is to speak up for ex-service men and women in Scotland. These include Susie Hamilton, the new Scottish Veterans Commissioner, and Armed Forces and Veterans Champions Jo McBain, for NHS Highland, and Mark Horsham, for South Lanarkshire Council. With public bodies now legally obliged to treat veterans fairly, their work matters now more than ever.

In the magazine you can also read about ex-service people for whom contact with nature and the outdoors has transformed quality of life. These include green fingered John, who is part of the Forces of Nature project in Glasgow, and Dave, whose loves of history and the outdoors are met simultaneously as a volunteer tour guide with the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

You can read the magazine in full, and join the postal and (or) electronic mailing lists, here. Find out more about Unforgotten Forces at www.unforgottenforces.scot.