Vet project approaches milestone

A PROJECT to help war veterans in Edinburgh is nearing its 500th referral.

The Veterans First Point, a project involving NHS Lothian and the Scottish Government, gives help and advice to those who have returned from battle.

And as the city celebrated Armed Forces Day over the weekend, the Royal Mile facility approached its own landmark.

The project's clinical lead, Dr Lucy Abraham, said: "Since opening over two years ago the project has been extremely popular as a support centre for veterans and families.

"We offer a wide range of social and welfare support and specialist mental health care and treatment.

"The key to the success of V1P is that it was created by veterans to meet the needs of veterans.

"Many of the team that currently work at V1P are veterans themselves. This adds credibility to the service and helps the veterans feel understood.

"We are open five days a week and offer a drop-in service."