THE Scottish Veterans Fund is being extended to help support two and three year projects, Keith Brown has announced this week.

Veterans and ex-service charities can now apply for the £600,000 of funding available over the next three years, including a three-year £240,000 contribution from Standard Life to support veterans employment.

The fund will continue to help one-year projects, but for the first time applicants will now also be able to bid for two or three year funding to enable more strategic projects to come forward.

Mr Brown, Clackmannanshire and Dunblane MSP and veterans minister, said last week: "Veterans are an asset to our society and deserve the highest level of advice, support and care.

"The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that no member of the armed forces, service family member or veteran in Scotland faces disadvantage when accessing services and support.

"We are aware, however, of the difficulties faced by a small number of veterans in accessing some services and are committed to tackling this head on.

"The Scottish Veterans Fund supports a wide range of projects aimed at doing just that.

“I’m particularly grateful to Standard Life for their commitment to this next round of funding, which alongside the largest commitment from the Scottish Government to date, brings the total available to £600,000 over three years."

Mr Brown officially opened the fund for applications and said the Scottish Veterans Commissioner will now head up a new independent panel to examine bids.

Colonel Martin Gibson, executive chairman of Veterans Scotland, added: “We welcome the continued support to ex-Service charities and other organisations from the Scottish Veterans Fund and we recognise the benefits that such grants can bring for individuals.

"The potential to have funding over a two to three year period means that a number of initiatives will be able to become well established and make a real difference to those, comparatively few, veterans who really need support.

“I anticipate many Service leavers finding meaningful and worthwhile employment as a result of the short to medium term initiatives that will come about as a result of this funding.

"In turn, they will bring their considerable skills and attributes into the work place in Scotland. We are grateful to the Scottish Government and to Standard Life for their generous contribution.”

Applications to the Scottish Veterans Fund should be sent to office@veteransscotland.org.uk by 2pm on Friday, January 20.

For more information, visit veteransscotland.co.uk