Fares4Free Volunteer Rab provides More Than A Journey

Robert (Rab) Conquer joined the army in 1978, serving with 1^st Battalion, The Royal Scots until 1986. He saw service in Scotland, Northern Ireland, the Falkland Islands and Germany. Rab is from a service family; his father and two brothers also served in the Royal Scots.

Though his military service was only a small part of his working life, he is a proud veteran who talks with fondness and enthusiasm of his days as a soldier. He is an active member of the Royal Scots Association and of the Royal British Legion Scotland. For the last 20 years, he has also volunteered with the national poppy appeal for Poppyscotland.

A naturally compassionate individual, Rab has for many years been aware of the negative impact that isolation has on the mental health of veterans. With Royal Navy veteran, Karl Cleghorn, he opened a Breakfast Club in East Lothian where veterans could meet, socialise, and feel part of a family again. This is proving successful, and Rab continues to remain proactive in his support for local veterans. It is to his credit, drive and enthusiasm that the Hollies Breakfast Club will soon increase in opening hours from one morning a week to every weekday.

Last year Rab became a volunteer outreach support driver for Fares4Free. He is very active, not only in East Lothian and Edinburgh, but willingly travelling throughout Scotland to assist those veterans who use our service. When asked why he does this, Rab said:

‘I love it. It keeps me busy. Because I help people and it makes a difference. I enjoy helping and supporting veterans. Because I can!’

Fares4Free receives fantastic feedback about Rab. One veteran describes him as ‘excellent, and a Jocks Jock’. Another says he is ‘a great bloke, really down to earth’. Des Gale, one of the Fares4Free Outreach Support Drivers, said ‘Rab has been very busy supporting Fares4Free recently. He is flexible and accommodating, and for the last 4 months we would not have managed without him’.

If you or somebody you know, would like to join the Fares4Free team as a volunteer please get in touch today by calling 0141 266 6000 and leaving a message or contact Leon, our Operations Manager, via email at leon@fares4free.org . Not only will you be able to help others, but the benefits volunteering can have on your own wellbeing can be massive also.

Leon, our Operations Manager, also volunteers as an outreach support driver out with his core working hours and reiterated Rab's sentiments:

'As a veteran myself, volunteering within the veteran community gives me that sense of belonging that I have missed since I left the forces in 2015.  Seeing first hand the difference that I can make by being able to help fellow veterans and their families continue on their medical pathways, that without us they would be unable to do, really does make me feel good about myself.  I like many others, have struggled with my mental health at times, but volunteering really has made such a positive influence on improving it.'

This Volunteer Project has only been made possible due to the funding that we received from the Veterans' Foundation and The Royal Navy & Royal Marines Charity and it is vitally important to note that due to their funding we have so far recruited and trained multiple volunteers that continue to support our service users.