Life is 'considerably better' for Conon Bridge forces veteran
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An ex-Naval serviceman is enjoying a renewed sense of "freedom" after an armed forces charity provided him with a mobility scooter.
75-year-old Gordon Thomas, who lives in Conon Bridge, spent most his seven-year naval career as a diver, starting out as a ship's diver in the far east.
After a variety of appointments on different ships, he was eventually assigned as a diving instructor at the Royal Navy diving school.
A widower, Mr Thomas now lives alone and is also a carer for his daughter who lives nearby.
It was the death of his brother – an ex-British Army Sergeant with 22 years service – that prompted Mr Thomas to reach out for help.
Facing difficulty meeting the expenses associated with his brother's passing, he turned to armed forces charity, the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families' Association (SSAFA) for assistance.
Okain McLennan, a caseworker with the Ross and Cromarty branch, visited Mr Thomas.
After assessing his needs, Mr McLennan – who lives in Fortrose – was able to obtain funding from the SSAFA to assist Mr Thomas with the costs related to his brother’s death.
Having identified that Mr Thomas had mobility issues, he also arranged funding from the Royal Naval Benevolent Trust and Poppy Scotland to purchase a mobility scooter for Mr Thomas.
Since acquiring the new scooter, Mr Thomas has been able to carry out weekly tasks such as shopping with much greater ease.
He said: "I am delighted with the support I have received thanks to SSAFA. The mobility scooter has made my life considerably better. It's a huge improvement on using sticks or a wheelchair, and gives me more freedom."
SSAFA Ross and Cromarty is a small team staffed entirely by volunteers, supporting between 20 and 40 cases each year by providing direct support to individuals in need of physical or emotional care.
The organisation's support covers both regulars and reserves in the Royal Navy, the Royal Marines, the British Army and the Royal Air Force and their families, including anyone who has completed National Service.
While cases reduced during the Covid pandemic, the association is now seeing an increase in requests for assistance due to the cost-of-living crisis.
People seeking support in the Ross and Cromarty area, or individuals looking to volunteer and assist with fundraising, are encouraged to get in touch via the branch chair alan.whitelaw@ross.ssafa.org.uk or secretary okain.mclennan@ross.ssafa.org.uk.
