Veterans celebrate Health for Heroes Award at VE Day event
East Renfrewshire Culture and Leisure invited veterans for afternoon tea at Barrhead Foundry to celebrate the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day.
Article Source: East Renfrewshire Culture & Leisure
Last Updated: 22 May 2025 14:29
The special gathering also saw East Renfrewshire Culture and Leisure receive the Armed Forces' Covenant Employer Recognition Bronze Award, in recognition of their support for the Armed Forces Community.
As part of this support, East Renfrewshire Culture and Leisure developed the Health for Heroes scheme. The initiative launched in 2019 as the first programme of its kind in Scotland, offering free fitness memberships to support local veterans in partnership with East Renfrewshire Council.
Veteran Kevin Potts was in the Royal Air Force as a photographic specialist for 22 years. His wife, Fiona, is also a veteran and they are Health for Heroes members, attending Eastwood Park Leisure to use the gym facilities.
Kevin said: “The Health for Heroes initiative is important because there is very little support for veterans when they come out, whether they’ve served for a short period or had a longer period of service. They’re left going from a massive family environment to very little, so any support outside is massive to them. It means a lot and makes them feel like they’re still part of the veteran family. Getting like-minded people together who may have lost touch with the military family gives veterans an opportunity to tell their stories. Having the Health for Heroes environment allows them to pass information on and keep the rhetoric.
“My wife and I use Eastwood Park Leisure with our membership. The staff are really helpful. They show you how to use equipment and look after you. Everyone welcomes you when you come in and it’s like a family-feeling when you talk to them.”
70-year-old veteran James McEwan, from Barrhead, who joined the army at the age of 18 and served in Germany and Northern Ireland, added: “There are so many soldiers with so many needs when they come out of the army. I try to push the message that it’s not weak to go to combat stress. It’s not a “manly” thing to stay away from it - get help if you’re struggling with your mental health.
“It’s always good if you can do physical exercise. I’m just getting back into the gym again and usually come down to use Barrhead Foundry’s gym once or twice a week, when I can manage.”
Veteran Willie McColl added: “Health for Heroes is very important. It’s good for everybody, health wise, it’s free and it gets you out meeting people. For some people, it’s much harder to motivate yourself. I’ve been there. Now, I attend Vitality classes at Barrhead Foundry twice a week and am a volunteer assistant, which gives me something to do.”
Captain David Hanley, 102 Field Squadron’s PSAO (Permanent Staff Administration Officer), presented the recognition award at the event, which was attended by veterans, local partners who support the armed forces community and local Councillors, including Council Leader Owen O'Donnell and Councillor and Veterans Champion Kate Campbell.
Councillor Kate Campbell, East Renfrewshire Council Veterans Champion, said: “I'd like to congratulate East Renfrewshire Culture & Leisure for achieving the bronze award. They have been undertaking fantastic work in supporting our local armed forces community, both internally with their employees and across East Renfrewshire. Having spoken with a number of veterans, it is clear that the Health For Heroes scheme has been a success and is making a real difference to the lives of local residents. I would encourage anyone from our armed forces community to get involved and see how it could help and support you.”
East Renfrewshire Culture and Leisure's Chief Executive, Anthony McReavy said: “We are very proud to receive the Armed Forces’ Employer Recognition Bronze Award and for our Health for Heroes programme, recognising the positive impact it has in supporting veterans in our community.
“Our programme has gone from strength to strength since its launch. We've welcomed more veterans to benefit from the initiative and our staff work to support members' physical and mental health at our fitness centres and through increased engagement at our events. We look forward to continuing this support for veterans in our local community.”
Carolynne McKendry, Active Health and Wellbeing Development Manager with East Renfrewshire Culture and Leisure added: “We host regular gatherings for our veterans and this event was particularly special, as we celebrated VE Day and the recognition award with our veterans.
“Our Health for Heroes scheme is a great example of supporting social connection and wellbeing through physical activity and we are very proud to offer this to veterans in our local community. The opportunities for connection that our veterans receive through participation can be life changing for them. And, for us, it reminds us that everything we do to ensure our activities are friendly and social is vitally important.”
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