Poppyscotland is set to host an event to recognise and value the important contribution volunteers make to the organisation by helping to improve the quality of life for veterans and their dependents in the North of Scotland…

The event (on Wednesday, 5th December from 1pm-3pm), which coincides with International Volunteer Day, will also see long-term volunteer Jimmy Greig receiving a Volunteer Award for his dedicated service to the much-loved Armed Forces charity.

Jimmy, a veteran himself, said: “I’ve been a volunteer at Poppyscotland’s Inverness Welfare Centre ever since it opened in 2013.Over that time, I’ve met people from every part of our Armed Forces community, from elderly men and women determined to live independently, to younger veterans struggling to cope with the physical and mental effects of conflict.

“I’ve also encountered ex-Servicemen and Servicewomen who can’t find a job and don’t know how they’re going to make ends meet, as well as families that fear they may lose their benefits or even their homes. I’ve welcomed hundreds of different people to the Welfare Centre, and I can tell you they all have one thing in common: they’re still fighting battles, long after their war has ended.”

And Jimmy added: “As a veteran myself, I know exactly how many of them feel. I joined the Royal Navy in 1964 when I was just 15 and saw active service in Singapore. When my final day in the military ended, it was a devastating experience. All of a sudden I felt alone and totally exposed. I wondered how on earth I was going to cope in life – and that’s where Poppyscotland came to the rescue.”

Nina Semple, the Poppyscotland Welfare Services Manager in Inverness, said: “Poppyscotland recognises the huge contribution volunteers make to all that we do as an organisation and next week’s event will be a unique chance to celebrate their efforts, share our mutual values and to promote the incredible work that they do.

“Support from volunteers like Jimmy help us to maximise our fundraising income, which, in turn, allows us to provide even more practical help to ex-Servicemen, Servicewomen and their dependents living in Scotland. Local volunteers are often seen as the Poppyscotland representative in their own community, and this gives us as wide coverage as possible.”

The Inverness Welfare Centre currently has three welfare volunteers’. The trio are ex-Service personnel and are heavily involved in the local Armed Forces community, including with other local organisations.