Veterans Housing Scotland (VHS) celebrated its 110th Anniversary this year.
The charity has produced its own history booklet outlining the progress from 1915 as a record of the last 110 years. Entitled ‘Veterans Housing Scotland – 110 Years’ it includes the research and publication of more than a century of working to provide affordable homes and wellbeing support for disabled veterans from the armed forces who are otherwise at risk of homelessness.
The 24-page booklet was funded by a Jean Guild Grant awarded by The Old Edinburgh Club, and details the background from its origins. The story relates the need for the organisation in the early days through to today when VHS has become established as the leading charity providing homes for disabled veterans in Scotland.
In 1915, at a very early stage of the First World War, the Scottish Veterans Garden City Association (subsequently Veterans Housing Scotland) was created to respond to the growing number of injured servicemen returning from the battlefields of Europe. Many faced not just physical and psychological disabilities, also economic hardship and a lack of suitable housing.
It was well-known that the Scottish Veterans Garden City Association was created by Lord Salvesen and a group of his colleagues. Research for this history project has connected VHS with Lord Salvesen’s great grandson, Leonard Harper Gow.
Group Captain Bob Kemp, Chairman, met Leonard when he introduced him to one of the organisation’s communities in the Trinity area of Edinburgh. He said: “In this 110th Anniversary year, it was a real pleasure to welcome Leonard to one of the first developments his Great grandfather had created. The donation of the land was probably one of the most significant gifts the charity has received.
“Leonard generously shared with us some of his own memories of visiting the ‘big house’ as a child. Fascinating stories that all add to our own history.”
Mr Harper Gow added: ‘It was a wonderful experience to walk around Earl Haig Gardens in Edinburgh with the Executives of Veterans Housing Scotland. This was one of many charitable projects started by my great grandfather, Lord Edward Salvesen. He lost two sons in WW1 and this increased his wish to support a wide variety of schemes, both here in Scotland and also in Norway where the Salvesen family had originated.
‘I was so impressed by the care that all the residents have shown in keeping their houses and gardens looking so colourful and tidy. Some came out and welcomed us as we walked around. They told me how much they enjoyed staying there. Lord Salvesen would have been delighted.”
Steven Robb, the President of The Old Edinburgh Club, adds ‘This was a great project for the Old Edinburgh Club to be involved with. We were delighted to award our Jean Guild Grant to Veterans Housing Scotland, helping to enabling the research and publication of this new booklet.
“The provision of affordable homes for injured veterans, from 1915, is a key part of Edinburgh’s History, and continues to be an important issue to this day.’
Veterans Housing Scotland Patron, HRH The Princess Royal, generously provided the introduction for the booklet and took the opportunity to thank all those involved in the work of the charity.
Kevin Gray, Chief Executive of Veterans Housing Scotland said: “This booklet has created a very special opportunity for us to continue to share our story. The development of this publication has undoubtedly thrown up some wonderful insights for us all. We are thrilled that the Old Edinburgh Club selected VHS to receive one of these prestigious awards, we are grateful for their support. We thoroughly enjoyed working with them on the project.”
Veterans Housing Scotland has a portfolio of 630 homes across Scotland and has provided homes for more than 12,000 veterans and their families since its inception.
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