OA Scotland aims to relieve distress among all those who have at any time held a Sovereign's Commission with embodied service in HM Naval, Military, or Air Forces, and among their wives, widows, husbands, widowers, children and dependants.  This includes ex-officers who were commissioned into the Reserve, Auxiliary, or Territorial Forces. Applicants must be resident in Scotland at the time of their initial application or have been members of a Scottish Regiment.

We help, for example, finance home repairs and household items, respite breaks, mobility aids such as electric-powered vehicles and other personal needs. Where mobility aids are required we fund an occupational therapist to visit people in their homes to make a thorough assessment of their specific needs.

Last year OA Scotland provided direct financial assistance to 121 individuals through one-off and annual grants totalling £168,897.

For more information on how OA Scotland assist ex Officers and their dependants contact Gary Gray on 0131 550 1593 or Lillias Reid on 0131 550 1558.  Alternatively, please complete our request for assistance form.

Poppy Breaks

Poppy Breaks provides veterans resident in Scotland access to a short holiday or respite break at Royal British Legion Poppy Break Centres in England and Northern Ireland.

Poppy Break centres are exclusively for serving and ex-service people, their partners, dependants and carers and provide relaxation and friendship for people recovering from an illness or experiencing bereavement or other life affecting events.

For more information contact Lillias Reid on 0131 550 1558 or email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Small Business Loans Scheme

The OA Scotland Small Business Loans Scheme is open to ex-Officers who require financial assistance to get their business idea off the ground.   It offers an interest free loan, up to a maximum of £7,500 to applicants who can demonstrate to an Awards Panel a sound business proposal supported by a full Business Plan and Cash Flow Forecast.

For more information call Dot Pringle on 0131 550 1568, download the Small Business Loan leaflet or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Vocational Training Grant & Bursary Award Scheme

Our Vocational Training Grant Scheme assists ex-Officers of working age who are unemployed, low skilled or on a low income to access training to improve their employment prospects. Applicants must be able to evidence that they are unable to fund their own training and that there is no alternative source of funding open to them.

For more information, access www.civvystreet.org or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or call Dot Pringle on 0131 550 1568.