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June Round-up
Remembering D-Day
The 6th June marked 80 years since thousands of Allied soldiers, sailors and airmen took part in Operation Overlord, a huge step in the liberation of Europe from Nazi occupation. A wide range of commemorative events took place across participating countries and it was exceptionally moving to hear some of the incredible first-hand stories. I had the pleasure of meeting veterans Cyril, Jim and John, who all took part in the landings and were in the audience at Scotland's Salute to D-Day event at the Usher Hall - a magnificent event combining music, memories and Remembrance.
Scotland’s veteran numbers revealed
Results from Scotland's Census 2022 were published last month, showing that 176,100 people identified themselves as veterans, representing a range of ages and living across all parts of Scotland. As more detailed data is published, the results will help build a clearer picture than ever of the veteran community in Scotland. This will allow service providers, policy makers and decision takers to act on verified and accurate information, and so that that service planning and delivery better meets the needs of our diverse veteran community.
You can read more about the census results here.
Forces Employment Charity
I attended an event at the Barclays campus in Glasgow to hear about the work of Forces Employment Charity, including helping military spouses find employment and supporting veterans in the justice system. It was a pleasure to meet staff, stakeholders and inspiring beneficiaries and hear about the range of events and initiatives to help the veterans community secure meaningful careers.
Pride
To mark Pride Month, I shared a blog recognising the LGBT+ personnel and veterans whose sacrifices have paved the way for a more inclusive military. You can read my blog reflecting on Pride month here.
Armed Forces Week
The UK celebrated Reserves Day and Armed Forces Day, a time to celebrate our service personnel and veterans and salute the support and sacrifices made by partners, children and the bereaved - an integral part of our community. I was honoured to attend a number of events including the raising of the Armed Forces Flag over East Lothian Council’s offices and a service in the memorial garden at HMP Shotts.
West Lothian Armed Forces Day Event
It was an honour to speak at the excellent West Lothian Armed Forces Day event in Livingston, where the Lord Lieutenant presented achievement awards to Regular, Reservist and cadet personnel. The evening included a dazzling performance by singer Amy Hawthorn who is a dedicated supporter of the Armed Forces Community.
Linburn Walled Garden
The Defence Gardens Scheme and Cyrenians invited me to their horticulture therapy end-of-course day where I had the chance to meet and chat to the veterans and volunteers at the Linburn Walled Garden and present them with their well-deserved certificates.
Veterans and the Law
Over the past few months, I have been continuing engagements for my next thematic report on Veterans and the Law. The report will examine the experiences of veterans involved in the justice system in Scotland. Through visits to prisons and meetings with organisations that support veterans in the justice system, I’ve had very informative conversations with a diverse range of veterans on this subject and I look forward to sharing my findings in due course.
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