Charity supporting veterans awarded £2,000 by Glasgow Airport’s FlightPath Fund

Charity supporting veterans awarded £2,000 by FlightPath Fund.

Glasgow Airport’s FlightPath Fund has awarded £2,000 to help a Scottish charity supporting veterans. 

Charity I Was Gonnae will use the funding to provide musical experience sessions for veterans living at Erskine Village, a care home for former members of the armed forces. 

The weekly sessions will allow participants to share their life stories through creating and producing songs with the help of professional musicians. The aim of the Music Experience Project is to enhance the wellbeing, social connection and self-expression of the veterans through music. 

The sessions also foster communication and social skills among the participants and facilitate interaction between veterans who share similar experiences. 

The charity’s co-founder Stuart McDonald expressed his gratitude for receiving the funding and his excitement for collaborating with the veterans at Erskine Village.

He said: “Many veterans suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and had to cope with extra difficulties during the pandemic because of the lockdowns and other restrictions.

“The Music Experience Project is not only a fun activity, but also a valuable opportunity for the participants to discover and develop their strengths and skills, to feel more connected to others and to share a laugh at the same time.

“The sessions culminate in the creation of the participant’s song, which is produced, recorded and stored on an electronic device for them to keep. We are very thankful to the FlightPath Fund for supporting a project that makes a real difference to the lives of those involved.” 

Glasgow Airport has pledged a further £100,000 to the FlightPath Fund in 2024 to help deliver much-needed support to neighbouring community groups, charities and sustainability-themed projects. Any funds that were not spent in 2023 are also carried over to this year.

The Fund’s committee continues to urge groups and organisations to submit applications and is keen to support sustainability-themed projects aimed at improving the environment in the communities local to the airport.

The FlightPath Fund was established in 2010 to provide financial support to community groups and charities committed to improving the opportunities, facilities and services available to local people. Funding awards will continue to focus on three key areas:

• Employment: we recognise the importance of making sure the future workplace is equipped with the skills that society and industry demands and, by supporting specific projects, we aim to help young people in the community reach their full potential. Awards will be given to exciting local projects that can break down barriers to employment through skills development.
• Environment: to underpin our commitment to making a positive contribution to the environment, the FlightPath Fund supports projects with a focus on protecting and enhancing our natural environment.
• Education: the FlightPath Fund supports social and educational projects which are designed to bring positive benefits and to change the lives of people in the communities we serve.

The FlightPath Fund’s committee, which includes elected representatives from each of the four local authority areas, meets regularly throughout the year to consider all applications made and to allocate any agreed financial support.