66-603: Erskine Veterans Charity is a veterans care and support non-profit organisation headquartered in Erskine , Renfrewshire, but operating across the Central Belt of Scotland . It provides a range of services to British Armed Forces , veterans of all ages and their families, who live in Scotland. It is most renowned for long-term nursing, respite, dementia and end-of-life medical care. It supports veterans through care homes and
132-524: A 24 apartment "Transitional Support Service" for younger Veterans and Service-leavers who lack a home or employment upon leaving the Services, or shortly afterward. This unit was first opened as a training and conference facility. It now offers "psychosocial support" via meaningful training, recreational and community activities for Veteran on the West Coast, faced by social isolation and loneliness. It
198-620: A 5-star hotel called the Earl of Mar, later known as Mar Hall . It opened in 2004. In 2021, Erskine completed the build of 24 apartments on the Bishopton Estate, designed to support single ex-service men and women as they transitioned back into civilian life. The apartments offer social, recreational and training facilities to help residents transition into full time employment and long-term accommodation. The charity also runs its own radio station, Erskine Veterans Radio. The current CEO
264-494: A Tolls Suspension Order following an announcement that the tolling was to cease after 31 March 2006. The bridge had briefly been free of charge before - in 2001 an oversight caused the legislative order enforcing the toll to lapse and drivers crossed free until the new legislation was enforced. At this point the contract for toll collection was put out to tender and was re-awarded to Apcoa from 1 April 2002. The contract for toll collection expired on 31 March 2006. Toll charges from
330-417: A Veterans Village, comprising 44 cottages, a community activity centre, five assisted living apartments and 24 "Transition Support" apartments for service-leavers and working-age veterans. The charity first established itself as Princess Louise Scottish Hospital for Limbless Sailors and Soldiers. It was created through Scotland's compassionate response to her sons returning physically and mentally shattered by
396-575: A charity committee member, bought the mansion house and gardens and gifted them to the charity. Princess Louise, Duchess of Argyll agreed to become the patron of the hospital and within a few weeks the Scottish public had donated £100,000 towards the facility. Agnes Carnochan Douglas was the first matron at Erskine. She began her nursing career at the Western Infirmary , Glasgow where she worked with Sir William Macewen . Macewen offered her
462-538: A cinema room. In order to help Veterans live well within their communities across Scotland, Erskine is replicating ERMAC in several locations. EVAC North will start operating and delivering support in Morayshire, from a venue in Forres . Erskine is first and foremost a charity. Local Authorities make a contribution to its operating costs of caring for their elderly citizens. However, Erskine must fundraise around £10M
528-566: A feeding and resting point for a wide array of migratory birds traveling to and from regions such as North America , Siberia and West Africa . Erskine is served by Glasgow Airport , which is located 4 km south of the town. Old Greenock Road connects Erskine to the M8 motorway , the Erskine Bridge and Bishopton . The last tip at the northern side of the A726 road also connects to
594-741: A heavy metro line as part of the proposed Clyde Metro Project . The town's secondary school is called Park Mains High School . It is the largest school in Renfrewshire and one of the biggest in Scotland with up to 1,400 students. It is a non-denominational state school . For Roman Catholic denomination state education, the town falls within the catchment area of Trinity High School in nearby Renfrew. Erskine has five primary schools. All are state schools, with Rashielea, Bargarran and Barsail providing non-denominational education and St John Bosco and St Anne's providing Roman Catholic denomination education. Erskine Bridge The Erskine Bridge
660-436: A rural hinterland. The town's Bridgewater complex provides a range of tertiary sector businesses, chiefly retail and leisure facilities. These include supermarkets, a tanning salon, a dental surgery, a bakery, a butcher, a fish & chip shop, takeouts, a pub with dining area, a Chinese restaurant, an optician, a chemist, a doctors surgery, hardware store, a hair salon, an estate agency, a dry-cleaners and key cutting service,
726-523: A swimming pool, a funeral directors, a bank and a public library. There are also smaller retail areas in the Bargarran, Mains Drive and Park Glade areas, where there are a few shops and restaurants as well as a community centre. On the riverside, there is an office block which is home to a logistic company. The Erskine Bridge Hotel is also situated on the banks of the Clyde. A few hundred yards up river
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#1732772957733792-570: A year, to achieve the outstanding levels of care, support and meaningful community activities, which the charity believes Veterans deserve. It does this independently and receives no funding from the Earl Haig Fund ( Poppyscotland ) or the Poppy Appeal. Fundraising schemes are active throughout the year and in 2017, Erskine was rated as Scotland's most effective fundraising charity by Civil Society Magazine. 92% of its expenditure
858-463: Is Wing Commander Ian Cumming MBE. The CEO is responsible for leading Erskine as it enhances its efficiency and profile, whilst expanding its services and outputs - as a centre of excellence in Veterans' care & holistic support across Scotland. In 2000-01, the charity moved to two new purpose built sites in the town of Erskine. The Erskine Home was opened in 2000. The new flagship building replaced
924-578: Is a multi span cable-stayed box girder bridge spanning the River Clyde in west central Scotland. The bridge connects West Dunbartonshire with Renfrewshire and can be used by all types of motor vehicles , cyclists and pedestrians . As well as crossing the Clyde, the bridge also crosses the Forth and Clyde Canal and the North Clyde railway line . A small part of Kilpatrick railway station
990-621: Is also a camera that takes photos of the vehicle from side-on which can identify the haulage company at fault. The system can also check if HGV axles are lifted when they should not be and is operational 24 hours a day. Reports can be printed for overweight vehicles. The bridge itself is the A898 road and its short approach from the south is the M898 motorway which is a spur from the M8 motorway . The bridge connects Erskine in Renfrewshire on
1056-523: Is at the confirmation of the church of Erskine in 1207 by Florentius , Bishop of Glasgow . The land around the town was first part of the estate of Henry de Erskine in the 13th century. Sir John Hamilton of Orbiston held the estate in the 17th century until 1703 when it was acquired by the Lords Blantyre . By 1782 there were twelve houses and a church in Erskine. A new church was then built which
1122-476: Is called Erskine House and is a Category A listed building . It is now the Mar Hall Hotel . There is a piggery , a stables yard and some other small buildings which also have listed status. Erskine Erskine ( / ˈ ɜːr s k ɪ n / , Scots : Erskin , Scottish Gaelic : Arasgain ) is a town in the council area of Renfrewshire , and historic county of the same name , situated in
1188-483: Is care and/or care-support related. The charity hosts many events including an annual motorbike meet and Military Ball. Veterans also partake in various entertainment, physical, art and craft activities on a daily basis in "The Bunker". The charity will accept the help of volunteers from the public. There was a huge influx of injured military personnel returning from the First World War with missing limbs due to
1254-485: Is housed within the historic stable building at the charity's HQ within the Bishopton Estate. It is jointly named after Sir John Reid, who gifted the mansion and gardens to the charity, and Sir William Macewen, the surgeon who pushed through the need for the hospital. As the building is Category B listed , the charity collaborated with Historic Scotland and the Heritage Lottery Fund on the renovation. It
1320-472: Is ideal for walking and cycling. The Erskine Beach is also situated here. Forestry and Land Scotland is responsible for the area. This is one of seven or more islands that once stood in River Clyde. Bodinbo Island was a hazard to navigation but was cut off from the main river by a training dike in the mid 19th century. Much of the whinstone used to build the retaining walls, jetties, quays, etc. in
1386-480: Is largely because the town has only one secondary school. The town expanded in the 1970s with the construction of housing association stock. Since that decade, considerable private housing developments have continued. As more private houses were built in the 1980s, Erskine started to become an attractive place to live due to location factors and accessibility to main roads and the M8 Motorway . Due to this there
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#17327729577331452-511: Is one of Scotland's most notorious suicide spots: estimates suggest that more than fifteen people commit suicide there each year. This has led to the Samaritans charity placing signs at each path leading onto the bridge and also within four public telephone boxes that are situated on the twin footpaths running adjacent to the roadway on either side of the river. There are also normal SOS phones as seen on motorways nationwide. The bridge
1518-809: Is situated again within rural parkland by the Erskine Bridge. The Princess Royal has maintained her strong links with the charity and once again opened this Erskine based unit. The Erskine Edinburgh Home was opened in 2001. It is situated in Gilmerton and has capacity for 40 residents and additionally provides hotel accommodation and support to younger Service people passing through the British Army Personnel Recovery Centre. Other significant lodgers within this campus include Combat Stress (charitable organisation) and NHS Scotland 's "Veterans 1st Point". The Edinburgh Home
1584-498: Is situated underneath the bridge at the north side. The bridge is part of the A898 road. On completion the bridge replaced the Erskine to Old Kilpatrick ferry service . The bridge was designed by William Brown (1928–2005), a structural engineer and bridge designer who specialised in suspension bridges . He was one of the principal designers at Freeman Fox & Partners (now Hyder Consulting ) from 1956-85. Supervising engineer on
1650-589: Is still in use today. An influx of workmen moved to the area during 1836-41 due to the construction of the Inverclyde railway line . In 1900 it passed into the ownership of William Arthur Baird, who inherited it from his grandfather, Charles Stuart, 12th Lord Blantyre. In the late 18th century, the town of Erskine was a hamlet . During this time, stone quays were constructed to support the Erskine Ferry to Old Kilpatrick and Dunbartonshire. This replaced
1716-570: Is the Pandamonium Play Centre. There are 2 private golf clubs in Erskine. The Erskine Golf Club , which is located on the border between Erskine and Bishopton. And also the Mar Hall Hotel and Golf Course which is less than 1 mile (1.6 km) away. In addition to a number of local playing fields, the area has two other relatively new sporting facilities: the Erskine Community Sports Centre and
1782-578: The Astroturf at Park Mains High School . The Erskine Bridge towers high over the western limit of the town. The bridge is the furthest west crossing point on the river and it soon expands to become the Firth of Clyde estuary. Erskine House was constructed between 1828 and 1845. It was designed by Sir Robert Smirke , the architect of the British Museum . During the First World War it became
1848-484: The Erskine Bridge which then connects onto the M898 motorway providing links for onward travel. The A726 road mentioned earlier cuts through the centre of Erskine and is also the primary road for traveling into Paisley . Erskine is serviced by McGill's Bus Services and previously Arriva Scotland West . Buses operate to Glasgow , Paisley , Renfrew , Inchinnan , Clydebank , Glasgow Airport and Bishopton . There are also Plans to connect Erskine to Glasgow with
1914-701: The Princess Louise Scottish Hospital for Limbless Sailors and Soldiers. It is now the 5-star Mar Hall Hotel, recalling the estate's former ownership by the Earl of Mar . The town is home to the Erskine Hospital , a facility that provides long-term care for veterans of the British Armed Forces and their Spouses, with a drop-in day centre and newly built Transitional Supported Accommodation for younger veterans at
1980-500: The Texaco Captain collided with the road deck on 4 August 1996 resulting in the closure of the bridge. The oil rig was constructed upstream at Clydebank before being towed down the River Clyde. The bridge reopened to pedestrians and cyclists on 22 August 1996. This was followed by cars and motorcycles on 30 August 1996 and was opened again to all vehicles including heavy goods vehicles on 22 December 1996. Repairs to
2046-636: The West Central Lowlands of Scotland. It lies on the southern bank of the River Clyde , providing the lowest crossing to the north bank of the river at the Erskine Bridge , connecting the town to Old Kilpatrick in West Dunbartonshire . Erskine is a commuter town at the western extent of the Greater Glasgow conurbation, bordering Bishopton to the west and Renfrew , Inchinnan , Paisley and Glasgow Airport to
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2112-517: The Army's Personnel recovery Centre, at its Gilmerton Home in Edinburgh . By 1980, there were new departments available for ex-service people. These included a social work and speech therapy department. Erskine House, which was the original hospital building, needed extensive work to continue as a working hospital. The building was sold as part of the vision to modernize Erskine. It was then turned into
2178-604: The Erskine area and also specialist units in Glasgow and Edinburgh. The charity has strong links with the British Royal Family . Prince Charles is the charity's patron. He opened the flagship unit called Erskine Home in 2000. Princess Anne has also opened various units for the charity. The charity host various fundraising events throughout the year. They host an annual motorbike meet, a Military themed ball, Christmas fayre and various concerts. The charity accept
2244-587: The Veterans Village near Bishopton. The charity opened as Princess Louise Scottish Hospital for Limbless Sailors and Soldiers in 1916 due to the urgent need to treat the thousands of military personnel that lost their limbs in the First World War . It has gone on to offer help to British ex-service people from all wars since World War One. It has grown to become one of the biggest ex-services facility in Scotland. The charity has two units within
2310-404: The beginning of the 1992-93 accounting period tolls had been a flat rate of 60p on all vehicles, except motorcycles and exempt categories. A discount of 10% was available to those purchasing 50 pre-paid crossing vouchers. Fire and police vehicles, ambulances, maintenance vehicles, and vehicles displaying disabled badges were exempt. The bridge was one of only three toll bridges left in Scotland when
2376-706: The bridge cost £3.6 million with a further £700,000 in lost revenue from tolls. The bridge has been used once by a group of base jumpers in August 2010. A Royal Navy Westland Sea King helicopter from HMS Gannet , coastguard teams and officers from Strathclyde Fire and Rescue Service were all called out to the bridge following the incident. The bridge was designated a Category A listed structure in 2018 by Historic Environment Scotland , due to being "a state-of-the-art infrastructure landmark in Scotland for its time... recognised for its structural simplicity, economy of materials and slender appearance". The bridge
2442-483: The bridge is used by tourist traffic from Glasgow International Airport bound for Loch Lomond and the north west Highlands . The bridge was a toll bridge until 31 March 2006. Apcoa Parking UK Ltd collected tolls on the bridge from June 1992. The tolling booths were situated at the south side of the bridge and were constructed by Culford Art Metal. On 1 March 2006 the Transport Minister published
2508-416: The building of both privately owned and rented accommodation which boosted the town's population by around 10,000. Having established itself as a thriving commuter town , the 1990s saw the building of larger and more expensive housing, aimed at more affluent property buyers. Due to apprehension about further expansion of the town, several proposals for further large housing developments have been rejected. This
2574-404: The congested Kingston Bridge further upstream. In the last accounting period between 1 April 2006 - 2 July 2006 whilst the tolls were free the bridge saw an increase in traffic on the previous year by 27.33%. The bridge is now part of the trunk road network of Scotland and is the responsibility of Transport Scotland . There have been two known births on the bridge. The first was a boy who
2640-484: The contractors for the foundations and piers. The steel cable supplier was Bridon International . Force Technology were responsible for wind tunnel testing of the bridge. Steel was used to construct the deck and pylons and the piers are made from concrete. The road surface is mastic asphalt and consists of a two-lane dual carriageway and cycle/footpaths on each side. It has a 305 m (1,001 ft) main span and two 110 m (360 ft) approach spans. The width of
2706-539: The demands of the many limbless soldiers and sailors returning from war. It was then thought that Scotland should have a large, modern war hospital to cope with these type of injuries. A charitable committee was formed after a meeting in Glasgow . Sir William Macewen , a chief surgeon, was at the forefront of pushing through the need for such a facility. He met with Sir Thomas Dunlop the Lord Provost of Glasgow , who
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2772-482: The design and construction of the limbs. McEwan and Yarrows subsequently designed a new concept artificial limb known as the Erskine Artificial Limb. By December 1917 the hospital had treated 1,613 patients and of that number 1,126 required a new limb. And by 1920, there had been 9,500 artificial limbs fitted. Most of these were manufactured at the hospital’s workshops. The original hospital building
2838-484: The design. The reason for collapse was a difference in camber between 2 girders on the west span. The Erskine Bridge had already opened but needed further stiffening to meet new standards established due to the collapse of the West Gate Bridge. The bridge operates an overload weight detection system which logs vehicles axle weights. The weigh in motion system uses electric sensors and an ANPR camera . There
2904-547: The event of the bridge traffic numbers increasing the cycle tracks can be configured to include a third lane. There are 4 water mains pipes and 2 gas pipes running the full length of the underside of the bridge. It is the only bridge in Scotland with single cables over central main supports and was in this respect a precursor of the Millau Viaduct in France. At the time of building it was the longest bridge of its type in
2970-463: The fighting. Britain at this time was wholly dependent on foreign imports of artificial limbs. Sir William Macewen, the chief surgeon at the hospital, thought that this was intolerable. A dispensary and operating theatre were fitted out as workshops making artificial limbs. Macewen also enlisted the help of a local shipbuilding company called Yarrow Shipbuilders . The company not only lent their yard but chose to have some of their best craftsmen working on
3036-483: The help of volunteers from the public and needs to raise £10 million annually to run its services. In February 2021, drug and alcohol addiction clinic Abbeycare Scotland relocated to the 34 bed unit in Meadows Drive no longer used by the Erskine charity. There is a woodland area beneath the Erskine bridge with about 2 miles (3 km) of informal trails, picnic areas and views of the River Clyde . The area
3102-421: The horrors of trench and naval warfare in the First World War . Its name was then shortened to Erskine Hospital and then simply "Erskine" in later years. The charity has gone on to offer help to British veterans of every subsequent war and become the biggest veterans facility in the country. A need for a dedicated war hospital was apparent during the First World War, as hospitals were struggling to keep up with
3168-640: The lower Clyde area came from the Rashielee Quarries and was transported via Rashielee Quay . The area has now been landscaped however parts of the quarries are still present however the quay has been infilled. Usually known as Park Quay this disused private quay and jetty stands close to the site of the old Park House estate. It was probably built in between 1789 and 1801 by the Fultons who made their fortune manufacturing silk in Paisley and one of
3234-467: The original hospital building and is situated on grounds by the Erskine Bridge . This centre cost £16m and provides nursing and dementia care on a long term and respite basis. It has 180 beds available and is the biggest unit the charity has. Prince Charles , the charity's patron, opened the unit and unveiled a stone plaque to commemorate the opening. The Erskine Park Home opened in 2006. It offers care for 40 residents and specializes in dementia care. It
3300-427: The owners was W.T.Lithgow of the shipbuilding firm. The quay seems to have been last used in the mid 20th century. Newshot Island Nature Reserve, a salt marsh which juts out into the River Clyde, is located in Erskine. Contrary to its name, it is now a peninsula , created from silt left over from the widening and deepening of the river in the 1930s, which connected the island to Erskine. The nature reserve acts as
3366-480: The position of Matron at Erskine House. She started on 28 April 1916, first at Culzean Castle where patients were admitted while Erskine House was being transformed into a hospital. She spent six months travelling between Culzean and Erskine. Her role included patient care, recruiting staff, advising the hospitals Committees on issues such as furniture and equipment, and liaising with the War Office. The hospital
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#17327729577333432-457: The project was Oleg Kerensky and the architect on site was R.E. Slater. There were several firms who constructed the bridge between 1967-71. The structural engineering was done by Freeman Fox & Partners and the steel fabrication was completed by Fairfields - Mabey . W.A. Fairhurst and Partners (now Fairhurst ) designed and oversaw construction of the concrete piers and foundations. Christiani & Nielsen , Lehane Mackenzie and Shand Ltd were
3498-546: The river ford which had been in place since medieval times. In light of increased industry and infrastructure in the surrounding area, it gradually became a village in the following century. The small church community grew to having 3,000 residents in 1961, when Renfrewshire County Council unveiled its "New Community" plan for the town's development which involved the Scottish Special Housing Association. The development began in 1971 with
3564-614: The road deck is 31.25 m (102.5 ft). Pylon height is 38 m (125 ft) high. The total length of the bridge including approaches is 1,321.87 m (4,336.8 ft). The clearance of the bridge is 45 m (148 ft). The weight of the steel is 11,700 tonnes. 1,250 miles (2,010 km) of galvanised wire with a breaking load of 500 tonnes were used during construction. The bridge has 15 spans in total and rests on 14 diamond shaped piers which have been designed to allow air to circulate freely around them. The deck and piers have been designed to flex with temperature changes. In
3630-517: The site include Roman coins known as sestertius and a crannog which is an artificial island. The bridge is the most downstream of all the Clyde bridges and is the last point at which the estuary can be crossed by road. Its main function is to divert traffic away from Glasgow and the urban stretches of the A82 which run through the city's West End and outer suburbs. The location of the bridge means that
3696-566: The south side to the A82 (Great Western Road) at Old Kilpatrick in West Dunbartonshire on the northern side. The bridge is set at a high level to allow the passage of shipping beneath. This offers views of Erskine , Mar Hall , Erskine Hospital , Erskine Bridge Hotel , Dumbarton , River Clyde , Glasgow Airport and the Kilpatrick Hills . The area around the bridge has some historical significance as there have been various pieces of Roman artifacts found. Historical items found at
3762-470: The south. Originally a small village settlement, the town has expanded since the 1960s as the site of development as an overspill town , boosting the population to over 15,000. In 2014, it was rated one of the most attractive postcode areas to live in Scotland. Archaeological evidence states that agricultural activity took place within the area as far back as 3000 BC and it has been inhabited by humans since 1000 BC. The first recorded mention of Erskine
3828-615: The tolls were abolished. The others were the Forth Road Bridge and the Tay Road Bridge . The tolls were abolished on those bridges on 11 February 2008. The bridge had collected £72 million in tolls by 2001 and collected £5.676m in the last operating year. Its current traffic levels are estimated at 35,000 vehicles per day and because of this the bridge was considered something of a white elephant given its elaborate design yet relatively low traffic levels compared to
3894-603: The world. The bridge cost,including approaches, was £10.5million(equivalent to £240,720,000 in 2023). . Princess Anne opened the bridge on 2 July 1971. The ceremonial plaque of the opening can be seen on the railings of the western footpath, at the centre of the main span. Whilst the bridge was being constructed, the West Gate Bridge in Australia also designed by Freeman Fox & Partners, collapsed. An investigation published on 14 July 1971 found faults in
3960-399: Was a major boom in property development in the 80s and 90s. Most ex-and existing housing association stock are found in the Bargarran, North Barr and Park Mains areas of the town. Private housing is mostly found in the west part of the town, e.g. Garnieland, Flures Drive, Hawthorn, Parkvale, Parkinch, St. Annes, West Freelands. The town borders a number of nearby settlements, some separated by
4026-466: Was born 19 September 1990; he was subsequently named Oliver Erskine Edwards in homage to the bridge. A second baby, Kiera Sarah-Marie McFettridge was born in an ambulance on the bridge on 18 January 2011. The bridge has also been the subject of a murder investigation and ensuing court case after parts of a man's dismembered body were found underneath the bridge in late 2001. A man was subsequently arrested and convicted for this crime. An oil rig called
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#17327729577334092-494: Was brought into the media spotlight again after the death of two teenage girls who absconded from a nearby secure unit. In September 2011, work started to install suicide barriers along the length of the bridge to prevent future suicide attempts. Installation of the new barriers was completed by Amey Highways at a cost of £3.5 million. The vehicle barriers are also being upgraded. The new barriers being installed are H4a High Containment Vehicle Barriers. These works will also see
4158-413: Was enthusiastic. The next stage was to find a location for the hospital in the west of Scotland. After reviewing several sites it was decided that Erskine would be the location. Thomas Aikman, the owner of Erskine House, which is a mansion on the banks of the River Clyde , offered free use of his mansion and gardens for the period of the war and for 12 months after it was declared over. Then Sir John Reid,
4224-1056: Was officially opened in June 2001 by Wendy Alexander MSP . The David Boyle Court facility supports Veterans who have encountered difficulties in transition from Military service to civilian life. It offers them a safe place to live for up to two years, where they can learn job skills, access support services, enjoy Erskine's leading activity centre - ERMAC, and meet others in the same position. The Transitional Support Accommodation David Boyle Court, based within Erskine’s Veterans Village in Bishopton, features 24 single occupancy apartments that come fully furnished, complete with living and dining spaces, kitchen, bedroom, and an en-suite wet room. There are also four fully accessible apartments. The new facility features two communal spaces which are used for training, one-to-one counselling and skills development. One of these spaces can also be used as
4290-451: Was opened on 10 October 1916 and had an official opening on 6 June 1917 with Princess Louise making an appearance. Erskine's role has since expanded to meet the changing needs of war veterans. It now cares for any ex-service people and their spouses, who might be facing the challenges of long-term or degenerative health conditions. It also provides convalescent care for those recovering from illness - and provides hotel and support services for
4356-681: Was the charity's first unit outside the Erskine area. This was also opened by the Princess Royal. The Erskine Glasgow Home was opened by the Princess Royal in 2007. It was situated in Anniesland and had space for 46 residents. It closed in late 2022. Erskine has also built 44 veterans' cottages within the old hospital grounds at Erskine to house ex-service members and their families. It recently completed building 5 assisted living apartments for elderly veterans who seek to remain independent but close to expert staff. In 2021, Erskine completed
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