At the ripe age of 78 years young, former British Army Cadet and Territorial Army commissioned officer, Jim McGoran is sculpting a new career as a potter, after taking lessons at veteran support charity, Erskine.
Amateur potter, Jim, discovered his talent for throwing and sculpting clay while attending the Bishopton-based charity’s activity centre. It was there he tried pottery for the first time, aged 75, and he has been honing his craft ever since.
Erskine supports veterans such as Jim by offering a range of activities and social opportunities. After being introduced to pottery, Jim was soon delighting fellow veterans and residents of the Erskine community with his newfound skill, leading to custom requests from family members.
Jim said: “Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would be taking up a new hobby at the age of 75 – and still practicing it at 78 – but thanks to the range of creative therapies available at Erskine, I gave it a shot, loved it and over time realised I had quite a unique talent for creating sculptures and replicas.”
One of Jim’s most notable achievements was the opportunity to exhibit his pottery at the prestigious Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum in Glasgow. The exhibition centred around themes of the River Clyde with Jim’s pottery contributions featuring intricate designs inspired by the Finnieston Crane and cargo ships once used to load cars and tanks on their onward journey down the Clyde.
The exhibition, which was organised by Erskine and ran from December 2023 to May 2024, was not just an opportunity for Jim and other residents to showcase their talent but also a chance for him to give back to the charity. Several pieces of his pottery were sold, with all proceeds going towards supporting the charity that has done so much for him.
Jim continued: “After getting to grips with the pottery wheel I started getting a bit more adventurous with some of the things I was making and recently managed to create a replica of the Finnieston Crane – that took me eight months, so it was a labour of love but worth every moment.
“I couldn’t believe the reaction to my work when it went on exhibition in Kelvingrove. It is astonishing that people were actually impressed enough to buy it.”
Jim found himself seeking support from Erskine after losing his wife Jean in 2021,and then fighting his own battle with oesophageal cancer.
He was welcomed with open arms at the Erskine base in Bishopton, where he receives unrestricted access to the charity’s services including creative therapy, talking therapy, archery, healthcare services from hearing clinics to podiatry, and a sense of community with other residents.
Charities such as Erskine rely heavily on funding and donations to provide its extensive range of services. Erskine benefits from being part of a charity consortium Bighearted Scotland, established more than 30 years ago to help four Scottish charities collaborate to achieve more effective fundraising via payroll giving.
The primary focus of Bighearted Scotland is securing payroll giving – also known as Give as You Earn – provides employees with an easy and tax-efficient way of making regular donations to worthwhile charities straight from their gross pay.
According to the charities behind the campaign, the amount donated by payroll giving has declined by 15% over the last 10 years. The number of people donating has also declined by 13%.
Deborah Roe, Chair of Bighearted Scotland said: “We love Jim’s story about discovering new hobbies and passions in his 70s and it helps to highlight the invaluable work that charities such as Erskine do in local communities. These charities rely heavily on donations from people, that’s where Bighearted Scotland comes in.
“We want to make donating and giving back as easy as possible which is why we are encouraging people to opt in to payroll giving to benefit four Scottish Charities including veteran charity Erskine, animal charity OneKind, health and wellbeing charities Epilepsy Scotland and Spina Bifida Hydrocephalus Scotland.
“By donating via payroll giving you can be guaranteed you are supporting a range of charities spanning various causes and making a real impact, to real people.”
Erskine, with the support of Bighearted Scotland, has played a critical role in Jim’s recovery, both physically and mentally. Through the Erskine Reid Macewen Activity Centre (ERMAC) centre, Jim has access to a variety of resources that help him stay active and engaged.
In addition to pottery, Jim enjoys time in the allotments, working in the polytunnels and greenhouse, and attending personal training sessions in the accessible gym provided by Erskine. These activities keep him active and connected, while the camaraderie of his fellow veterans offers a strong social support network.
When asked what Erskine means to him, Jim explained: “If Erskine and ERMAC wasn’t there, I would be lost throughout the week. It gets me up and out, and it keeps me active. I certainly look forward to it, and it’s made a tremendous difference to me.”
Thanks to the Payroll Giving funding provided by Bighearted Scotland, Erskine is able to offer these services free of charge to Jim and other veterans, allowing them to access vital support without financial burden.
For more information about how individuals or companies can sign up to Payroll Giving and support veteran charities such as Erskine, please visit http://www.bigheartedscotland.org.uk.
