A veteran who found life after service tougher than combat is fundraising to support others who have served.
John McGuigan, 41, from Uddingston, joined the army at 17 years old, after having been a cadet since the age of 12.
He served for eight years in the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards before returning to civilian life.
John faced significant challenges adapting to life away from the military, leading to mounting debt and the threat of eviction from his home in Airdrie.
It was in his lowest moments that he turned to SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity, for support.
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John said: “I was a good soldier; I just didn’t know how to become a good civilian.
“I didn’t even know what council tax was when I left the Army.
“We were all weekend millionaires and by the end of the week we were skint.
“The trouble was I carried that mentality across.
“For me, it was an embarrassing situation – I believed that to ask for help was a sign of weakness – but SSAFA really held my hand.
“All I needed was a fresh start.
“Without SSAFA’s help I would have dug a bigger hole for myself.
“It was like quicksand; SSAFA helped me get out of it and there was no going back.”
Now settled in Uddingston with his wife Stacey and their three children, John is determined to give back to the charity that helped him rebuild his life.
On Saturday, June 20, he and his 10-year-old daughter Sophie will take on a sponsored abseil at The Kelpies in Falkirk, to raise funds for SSAFA.
The challenge holds even deeper meaning for John, as it honours the memory of his grandfather George Kirkland, a long-serving SSAFA volunteer.
George Kirkland served 37 years in the South Staffordshire Regiment and joined SSAFA after retiring from the army.
He volunteered with SSAFA’s Lanarkshire Branch for 25 years before he passed away in 2013.
John said: “My Papa used to give so much of his time to help people who were ex-Forces, like himself, or who had married into the Forces.
“I have always tried to replicate what he was like, and I feel as if he has passed the mantle on to me now.”
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SSAFA has supported members of the Armed Forces community, including families, since 1885.
Donations to John's SSAFA fundraiser can be made online via: https://tinyurl.com/y6ub9y2h.
To find out more and sign up to the Kelpies Aerial Experience, visit ssafa.org.uk/the-kelpies
Anyone wishing to volunteer, fundraise, or seek support from SSAFA can visit ssafa.org.uk.
