It has been a milestone year in the history of Scottish War Blinded as we launched a number of significant initiatives to bring our support and care to even more vision impaired veterans across Scotland. After years of research, planning and construction, we were proud to open the doors of our state-of-the-art activity hub in the West of Scotland, the Hawkhead Centre.2017 was also the year that we started to expand our outreach service. Our Outreach Workers provide a vital service to members in their homes, offering practical, financial and emotional support. By increasing our outreach capacity, we hope to increase the numbers of veterans we help across Scotland and provide an enhanced level of personcentered support.
Scottish War Blinded is now supporting more people than ever before as our membership reached record levels during the past year. We anticipate that opening the Hawkhead Centre later this year in Paisley will further grow our numbers as we are able to provide more opportunities for rehabilitation, independent living skills and social opportunities to members from across the West of Scotland. We are greatly looking forward to opening the centre and to welcoming to it existing and new members as well as over 30 staff that will be recruited to work there.
It has been an exciting year for Scottish War Blinded as the charity continues to expand and develop. December 2015 saw the culmination of our centenary year, with the launch of new housing and a multi-purpose hall at Linburn, equipped with a bowling green, gym and space for acoustic shooting and events.Early in 2016 building work commenced in Paisley to construct the Hawkhead Centre, which will enable veterans in the West of Scotland to benefit from activities and support similar to the provision offered in the Linburn Centre.
100 years ago our charity was formed as a result of soldiers being blinded by poisonous gas attacks in the First World War. Today Scottish War Blinded provides free support to veterans of the armed forces who have a serious visual impairment, no matter when or how sight loss has occurred, promoting positive well-being and independence. Veterans anywhere in Scotland can become part of our welcoming and active community and receive practical support of many kinds, at times when they need it. In this report you will find a wealth of quotes, stories and pictures that paint a moving record of lives changed by our work.
The Linburn Centre continues to grow in popularity achieving over 90% its daily capacity. Members continue to enjoy a range of activities from art, woodwork and gym to gliding and white water rafting. Our Outreach service continues to mature and establish itself in the lives of members across Scotland. Reunion lunches are now held annually and a host of regional social groups have been piloted during 2014. Scottish War Blinded is in the process of submitting planning permission to expand the facilities at the Linburn Centre as well as construct a new centre in the West of Scotland.
There were many exciting developments for Scottish War Blinded's Linburn Centre and Outreach services in 2013. Plans have been announced to investigate potential new centres in Scotland, introduce specialist equipment provision and expand our Outreach service. A summarised statement of financial activities is included.