Veterans' charity head seeks stairlift for holiday home

The founder of a veterans’ charity, which offers former service personnel and their families unforgettable holidays in Scotland, has spoken of his hope of getting a stairlift installed so that even more people can enjoy his property.

84-year-old Philip Heard, who was a soldier in the Grenadier Guards, built a house next to his own near the village of Tarbert in Argyll and Bute, Scotland, to help servicemen and women enjoy a ‘much-needed break’.

The extraordinary generosity shown by Heard, which is discussed in a recent Scotsman article, has been welcomed by the charity Help for Heroes, which puts families forward for the free-of-charge holidays, which in many cases are the first to have been enjoyed by the personnel in years.

Mr Heard told reporters that he is ‘keen to share the quiet, beautiful surroundings’ of his home, explaining that ‘my father was left very disabled after World War One so Help for Heroes is a cause that is very close to my heart’.

The farmer, who moved into agriculture after leaving the Army, is not resting on his laurels, however, and is now keen to open up his house to even more potential guests.

Although the property is fully wheelchair accessible on the ground floor, Mr Heard is hoping that a stairlift will be donated to his charity – the Island View Forces Respite Association – so that even those who are unable to walk will be able to enjoy every feature that his home has to offer.

Mobility is something that is taken for granted by many of us, and the installation of a new curved stairlift would be a huge help to the many veterans and their families who will no doubt want to visit Mr Heard’s house north of the border soon.

Alison Richmond, speaking on behalf of Help for Heroes, extended her thanks to the property owner, saying ‘we are so grateful to Mr Heard for his generosity in donating his lovely holiday home so our wounded, injured and sick veterans and their families can enjoy a holiday in such peaceful and scenic surroundings’.

Image Credit: Nigel Brown Howard Lake