There was double success for the region at this year’s Scottish Veterans Awards.
The Dumfries Veterans Garden won the Health and Wellbeing Award at the ceremony, while Dumfries and Galloway Council’s Armed Forces Champion, Councillor Archie Dryburgh MBE, was named as Role Model of the Year.
The award winners were chosen by an independent judging panel and announced at an awards ceremony in Edinburgh hosted by Radio BFBS Scotland presenter Mark McKenzie. The evening was held in support of The ABF Soldiers’ Charity Scotland, with the finalists having come from hundreds of applicants.
Founded nine years ago, the Veterans Garden has been a registered charity for the past five and has won multiple honours for the services they provide cumulating in being awarded The Kings Award for Voluntary Services.
The latest award recognises the hard work put in by the group for ex-forces personnel and their families to provide a one-stop-shop to access friendship, mental health advice with counsellor Margaret Casey, practical help and outdoor skills.
Mark Harper of the Veterans Garden said: “We are absolutely humbled again to have won another award. Last year we won a silver award in this same category and two years ago we won bronze, so we are elated to have it overall this year as it shows the services are improving every year. We are striving to get better and better to help the veterans in whatever we can do for the community.”
Mark and another member, Maurice Kennedy – known as Wee Mo – were shortlisted for volunteer of the year. The Veterans Garden was also shortlisted for group of the year.
The council’s Armed Forces Champion, Councillor Archie Dryburgh MBE, is also celebrating after wining the coveted Role Model of The Year Award. He had also been a finalist for lifetime achievement.
He said: “I am absolutely delighted with this result, it’s way beyond expectations. To have achieved national recognition in so many different areas of work with veterans is remarkable and I am immensely proud to be part of it.”
A spokesperson for Dumfries and Galloway Council, which was a finalist in the employer of the year category, praised Archie’s achievement, saying: “This award is testimony to the tireless work undertaken by our Armed Forces Champion, promoting and furthering those in our region who transition from the military to civilian life and the organisations who support them.
“We all pass our congratulations to Councillor Dryburgh for his dedication and hard work as Armed Forces Champion and advocate for those across Dumfries and Galloway who currently or have previously served in the armed forces.
“We would also like to extend our congratulations to the The Veterans Garden Dumfries, who won the Health and Wellbeing Award.”
