Standing With Those Who Served: BRAVEHOUND’s Veteran Support
BRAVEHOUND, a Scottish military charity founded in 2013, provides life-saving support to veterans experiencing isolation, trauma, and ongoing mental health challenges.
Working across Scotland and the wider UK, the charity partners veterans with highly trained assistance dogs and offers regular welfare check-ins, outdoor activities, and community-building events. Each year, BRAVEHOUND works intensively with around 30 veterans and provides lighter support to a further 120 beneficiaries.
Through funding from Foundation Scotland’s Bridging the Gap programme, BRAVEHOUND was able to continue delivering essential running costs for its support services. This included staff and volunteer expenses for biweekly visits to veterans most at risk, ensuring early intervention, crisis prevention, and rapid referral to specialist services when needed. The grant also enabled vital training in first aid, mental health first aid, and canine first aid, strengthening the organisation’s ability to respond safely and effectively.
Over the last 12 months, BRAVEHOUND successfully supported hundreds of people, helping veterans and their families feel connected, valued, and part of a supportive community. A range of activities such as social meet-ups, an Armed Forces Day Dog Show, and an Open Water Swimming Group. Participants reported improved wellbeing, reduced isolation, and a lower risk of suicide.
Impact
The grant made a particularly meaningful difference to one veteran, his assistance dog, and his wife, enabling them to attend a UK-wide awards ceremony as finalists and winners. It also supported residential wellbeing stays in the Lake District and Aviemore, alongside regular fortnightly activities.
BRAVEHOUND’s CEO, Fiona MacDonald, shared:
| “We are incredibly grateful to Foundation Scotland for their support for our life-saving and life-changing work with the military veterans that we are so proud to serve. For those who carry invisible wounds and have ongoing mental health needs, the support from Foundation Scotland has enabled us to support some of the most vulnerable veterans in our community, to find the help they need and so richly deserve.” |
One veteran described the impact simply:
| “I didn’t think I could cope, I was just overwhelmed. Through the help BRAVEHOUND have provided I feel able to deal with each issue as it arises and know that I am not alone.” |
Thanks to this funding, BRAVEHOUND has continued to provide stability, companionship, and hope—ensuring veterans across Scotland receive the support they deserve.