A Glasgow service which supports homeless Armed Forces veterans has marked a significant milestone.
Bellrock Close, located in Cranhill, celebrated its tenth anniversary on Tuesday.
It is a purpose-built facility run by Scottish Veterans’ Residencies (SVR) and is made up of 30 supported flats for veterans and 21 two-bedroom rental flats.
Since it first opened its doors in 2014 the service has supported hundreds of servicemen and women to successfully move on to independent living.
In a video played at its tenth anniversary event Gnr Tommy Masters explained that ‘he wouldn’t be here’ if it wasn’t for Bellrock Close.
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He said: “The first time I came here for 18 months and it was really good because it got me out into community groups.
“As covid hit everything took a dip and my mental health deteriorated. I didn’t know where to turn and Poppy Scotland referred me back to SVR and I came back here.
“That went on for two years and we were looking to the future. They finally got me a house and if it wasn’t for SVR I wouldn’t be here right now.
“The staff went above and beyond what a human can expect. We always get thanked for our service and on behalf of every single veteran I want to thank SVR for their service.”
Celebrations were attended by current staff, residents, partners, Armed Forces personnel, and supporters.
Speaking at the event Martin Nadin, CEO of SVR, told of how the site where Bellrock Close sits was previously a “bit of an eye-sore”.
He said: “This building was designed by MASK Architects and it was built by McTaggart Construction.
"The flats transformed what had been a semi-derelict brownfield site that was a bit of an eyesore within Cranhill.
“It was the culmination of eight years of research, planning, designing, fundraising, and building.
"I joined SVR in 2018 and I visited Bellrock Close during my first week in office. I was struck by the quality and evident thought that had been given to the design and provision of facilities.
“Ten years on from the opening I marvel at the perceptiveness and forethought of those responsible for its design.”
Mr Nadin also extended thanks to those involved in making Bellrock Close what it is today which includes Andrew Scott-Crosbie.
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Andrew, a kind-hearted 12-year-old from Sandyhills, has spent the past four years saving his pocket money to buy presents for each veteran at Christmas.
He was in attendance at the event wearing a beret and medals which were given to him by the veterans.
Sharon Crosbie, Andrew’s mum, told our reporter she is “extremely proud” of her son.
She said: “I am proud of him he really struggles on a daily basis and he’s always thinking and putting others before himself.
“He’s such a good boy and he’s doing really well. He just loves the veterans.”
The anniversary coincided with the unveiling of the service’s newly refurbished gym which was co-designed by residents, built, and installed by Clydebuilt Fitness.
Susie Hamilton, the Scottish Veterans' commissioner, cut the ribbon on Tuesday to officially open the space.
She reflected on the early days of the facility and hailed its successes as a “perseverance of all involved”.
Susie added: “The project took off around 2008 and that was just after the financial crash. Many organisations were retracting and reducing what they were doing and very few developers were building anything at all.
“So it's [Bellrock Close] a real tribute to the perseverance of all involved and the confidence and foresight of the organisation.
“The building was the starting point but it’s the fantastic staff and team, past and present, that have delivered such valuable support.
“It’s also important to note the crucial role that the residents play because after all without them, there wouldn’t be a Bellrock Close.”
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Amongst those involved in the creation of SVR’s Glasgow residence were a number of ambassadors who supported the project.
Lorraine Kelly, who is an ambassador, sent in a video message to mark the occasion.
She said: “I can’t believe it’s been more than a decade since we got behind SVR’s campaign to provide new accommodation for veterans in Glasgow.
“Time really does fly. I became an ambassador for the project because I’m a big supporter of the armed forces community and I really believe everybody should feel valued and supported after they have served their country so well.
“It was a real pleasure to support the campaign back then and it’s wonderful to hear since it opened its doors in 2014 Bellrock Close has now provided housing and support to hundreds of homeless veterans.”
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