Facility For Blind & Vision Impaired Scottish Veterans, Paisley

Sight Scotland Veterans' Renfrewshire activity hub for veterans with sight loss

The Hawkhead Centre in Paisley is an activity hub for ex-servicemen and women of all ages living with significant sight loss. It’s a warm, welcoming place that brings veterans together. We know it can feel nerve wracking when getting involved with a new place – but within minutes of arriving at the Hawkhead Centre, veterans realise there is nothing to worry about. By the end of their first day, they’re already looking forward to the next visit.

We're open 8:30am - 4:30pm Monday to Friday.

What we offer

A huge range of activities.
The chance to gain confidence and new skills.
Social opportunities.
Expert support to adapt to life with sight loss.

Our facilities

The Hawkhead Centre in Paisley is a large, modern and exciting space for our veterans to get involved with many activities and projects. Purpose built for people with sight loss, the fully accessible facilities include:

gymnasium
skills kitchen
I.T. room
music room
arts and crafts room
woodwork workshop
archery club
garden and potting shed.

New friendships and newfound confidence

You’ll meet fellow veterans with sight loss of various ages at the Hawkhead Centre. The laughter and chatter heard every day throughout the building is testament to the many connections that have been flourishing at the centre since it opened in 2017. Our friendly centre officers, instructors and volunteers each bring their own specialisms to the table.

Don't lose sense of who you are because of changes to your sight

At Hawkhead we're here to support you in staying connected to the things that matter most, so that you can maintain your independence and thrive. Fill in our enquiry form or give us a call on 0800 035 6409 to find out more about the Hawkhead Centre.

Get support

The choice is yours! Activities include the adventurous and sporty to the creative and tranquil. You can try out anything from strength and fitness classes, music sessions, arts and crafts and cookery classes to indoor bowls, archery and I.T. courses. There are regular outings to local locations too. Hawkhead is also a place to relax, and there’s always someone to have a blether with.

Our expert team will work closely with you to identify what you’d like to get out of your time at the centre. We use our knowledge and wide-spanning connections to help you find enjoyable and life-affirming pursuits.

The centre also has an in-house rehabilitation officer who can carry out one-on-one assessments for specialist equipment and provide training and guidance to help adapt to life with sight loss.

The Hawkhead Centre is open to any veteran who is a member of Sight Scotland Veterans. Joining Sight Scotland Veterans is free and is available to anyone who has served in the armed forces who now has sight loss – that includes veterans who lost their sight during or after their service. Join us today.

Many veterans who attend on a regular basis live in Renfrewshire, Glasgow and other surrounding commutable areas. Your Sight Scotland Veterans outreach worker would be able to discuss attendance opportunities with you.

For those unable to self-travel, free door-to-door transport in most local locations can be provided to our centres. Our staff will be able to discuss your travel options to the centre with you.

We are currently developing a fully accessible holiday cottage in the Hawkhead Centre grounds. Curlew Cottage will be available to all veterans supported by Sight Scotland Veterans and their families for them to stay and access the Hawkhead Centre’s facilities and opportunities. So no matter where you live in Scotland, there is the chance to join in and enjoy all the centre has to offer.