Following my recent visit to Inverness and Strathspey, my latest blog reflects on the vital role played by volunteers in supporting the veteran community and in honouring those who sacrificed so much for the freedoms we all enjoy.
Read more in my latest blog, link in bio - SVC news and blogs 🔗
2 days ago
It was a privilege to meet Sharon Pickering, Community Support Worker for Scotland at Fighting With Pride, alongside RAF veteran Gary Wilson, who endured deeply unjust treatment under the pre-2000 LGBT ban.
Hearing their personal stories was incredibly moving, and a powerful reminder of the lasting impact of that policy. It also highlighted the challenges LGBT veterans continue to face today.
Support and services for veterans must be inclusive, accessible, and truly reflect the diversity of the whole community.
@fightingwithpride
3 days ago
On Saturday I had the pleasure of joining a Borders veterans’ Big Breakfast in Kelso — a fantastic gathering that brought together veterans from breakfast clubs right across the region.
My thanks to John Greenwell, Veterans Champion for Borders Council, for organising such a welcoming and well‑connected event. It was a valuable opportunity to hear directly from veterans living in the Borders, understand their experiences, and learn more about the support that matters most to them.
It was inspiring to see veterans from different parts of the Borders coming together, sharing stories, and building connections that strengthen the whole community.
1 week ago
During my visit to Speyside I was reminded of the Highlands' legacy as a military training ground and of the enduring importance of nations standing together in times of crisis.
At the Glenmore Visitor Centre I spent time at the exhibit on Kompani Linge, the Norwegian SOE unit who trained in the Cairngorma before carrying out sabotage missions against Nazi forces. Their bravery- including the famous Operation Gunnerside at Vermork- played a crucial role in preventing the Nazis from.developing an atomic weapon. Their story, honoured hynthe Norwegian Stone, remains deeply inspiring.
I also visited the graves and memorial of Force K6 in Kingussie- 14 soldiers from.pre partition India( now Pakistan) who served with the Royal.Indian Army Service Corps. Their graves were.lovingly tended by local resident Isobel Harling BEM, whose own brother fell in WW2. The beautiful memorial, created eith Jndian stone and Cairngorm granite, was supported by Highland Council and the Scottish Ahlul Bayt Society, with the project led by Colonel Heather Taylor.
A moving day and a powerful reminder of the shared histories and sacrifices that bind nations together.
# KompaniLinge #ForceK6 #Speyside #Remembrance
2 weeks ago
