News

Barry Ferguson has helped mark the end of the Foundation’s season-long partnership with Forces Children Scotland and Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS), which culminated in a £10,000 donation from the Foundation’s Armed Forces Fund.

The donation will be split between the charities, who do incredible work to support the services community and their families.

The Foundation also worked with both charities throughout the season to spread important messages about their work and hosted a weekend of activities with TAPS for the surviving families of two fallen heroes from the UK and America.

Barry Ferguson said:

“I think it is so important that we show our support for our armed services and veterans, so it’s great that the Foundation is making this important donation for the two charities.   I enjoyed meeting some of the men and women serving our country at the recent Armed Forces Day at Ibrox.”

“I know how hard the Rangers Charity Foundation works to make a difference.  It’s a cause I’ve been a strong supporter of, ever since my playing days at the Club, and I’d like to thank all the supporters who have given the Foundation their backing to enable this donation to be made today.”

TAPS is an American nonprofit organisation providing compassionate care and comprehensive resources for all those grieving a death in the military or veteran community.

Since 2022, the Foundation has teamed up with TAPS on three occasions to bring together bereaved military families from both the UK and the US to connect over their shared experiences and celebrate their lost loved ones.

This season’s donation allowed that work to continue, with four children having the special opportunity to be team mascots at Ibrox for Armed Forces Day.

Molly and Lillian Blais and Elizabeth and Isabelle Bovington celebrated the life and service of their fathers MSgt Scott Blais and LNN Thomas Bovington while making incredible memories and friends for life thanks to the initiative.

Jessica Harper, Director – Sports & Entertainment for TAPS commented: “We are so grateful to Rangers for their continued support of TAPS and to be a Rangers Charity Foundation Armed Forces Fund beneficiary.  This support helps to create meaningful connections of hope, healing and care for military families from the US and the UK.”

Forces Children Scotland works directly with children and young people from Armed Forces and veteran families across Scotland, to co-produce projects, services, and campaigns to help them to realise their potential and thrive.

The charity delivers face-to-face and digital mental health and wellbeing services as well as youth forums and residential experiences to build confidence, develop new skills, expand aspirational horizons, and forge new friendships.

Moreover, the charity supports this community in standing up for their rights to encourage policymakers to adopt a children’s rights approach and provides financial help for young carers, students, and families.

It also works with educators, wider professionals, and decision-makers to enhance their understanding of the unique needs of this community through accredited face-to-face and digital CPD training modules.

Steven Sweeney, Chief Executive at Forces Children Scotland commented: “As beneficiaries of the Armed Forces Fund, we are delighted to be able to continue our work to ensure that babies, children and young people from forces families face no disadvantage.

“Thank you to Rangers Charity Foundation, Rangers FC and all the fans for their fantastic support, it has been an amazing season-long partnership where it has been great to learn more about the fantastic work of TAPS, too.”

Foundation Chief Executive Connal Cochrane added: “Our Armed Forces Fund donations this season are for two fantastic causes which do incredible work to support the wider armed forces community.

“We’re proud to be able to support them, on behalf of the Rangers Family, and know that this represents just one aspect of our work throughout the year which, alongside the Club, recognises the dedication and sacrifice of armed services personnel and veterans.”

The Rangers Charity Foundation has a long and proud tradition of working with services related charities and was a joint signatory, along with the Club, to the Armed Forces Covenant in 2016.

We went on to become the first club and club charity in the UK to receive the Armed Forces Covenant Employer Recognition Scheme’s Gold Award from the Ministry of Defence in 2019.

The Foundation has donated over £261,000 in cash to armed forces and veterans’ charities to date, as well as significant in-kind support.  Donations have included over £57,000 to veterans’ charity Erskine and £40,000 to ABF The Soldiers’ Charity, as well as smaller donations to many others such as Combat Stress, Poppyscotland, SSAFA, The Coming Home Centre and AA Veterans Support.