Scotland’s oldest military charity, Scottish Veterans’ Residences (SVR), has appointed Jonathan Tweedie as Chair, succeeding George Lowder who steps down after seven years in the role.
Jonathan has been vice-chairman of SVR since 2019 and will become the 11th Chair of the charity since it was established in 1910.
He said: ““It is a huge honour to take over as Chairperson of Scottish Veterans’ Residences at such a pivotal moment in our history. We are finding that the housing and support needs of vulnerable veterans are becoming more complex. Consequently, we will have to decide how to adjust our focus, service provision, and infrastructure to meet the requirements and expectations of former service personnel in the 21st century.”
Jonathan gained an ability to employ strategic thinking at an operational level during his time in the Army, serving with the King’s Own Scottish Borderers, He left the Army in 2001 as a Major, before joining RBC Brewin Dolphin as a graduate trainee in Edinburgh.
He has fulfilled many leadership roles within RBC Brewin Dolphin, including Head of Office Edinburgh, and in 2019 he attended the Executive Senior Leadership Programme at the Said Business School at Oxford University. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment. He is married with two teenage sons and spends his time between London and Scotland.
In his capacity as vice-chair over the past four years, Jonathan has helped see the charity and business through a series of strategic developments and the Covid-19 pandemic.
George Lowder, who took over as Chair of SVR from Major General Mark Strudwick in 2016, will remain a key member of SVR’s Governing Body. He said: “It has been a privilege and an honour to lead the charity through a governance review, a global pandemic and a cost of living crisis. The fact that we are emerging from this in great shape is testimony to the executive team, all the staff, the Governing Body, and all our supporters and friends.”
SVR provides accommodation and support to ex-servicemen and women who are homeless, at risk of homeless or in need. The charity supports around 200 veterans and their families each year across its Residences in Dundee, Edinburgh, and Glasgow.
Stephen Rafferty is a former crime correspondent at The Scotsman and was a staff reporter for the Daily Record and Edinburgh Evening News. He has freelanced for many of the Scottish and UK national newspaper titles. Got a story? Get in touch - stephen@theedinburghreporter.co.uk
