Our charity supports people of all ages across Aberdeen and the Shire to live well at every stage of life.
But now we need your help.
Our light is flickering - at a time when more people need our help than ever before.
On this page, find out how you can help Keep our Northern light shining bright.
We're sharing our new TV advert, and some amazing stories featuring our staff and the people we support.
And you have an amazing opportunity to get involved, too.
Why? Because we believe care is everyone's business.
We are deeply saddened to share that Bill Mitchell, a much-loved resident of Broomhill Park, has sadly passed away. Bill recently featured in our new marketing campaign, and his wonderful smile can be seen across our TV advert and posters throughout Aberdeen and the Shire.
The number of people our charity supports across Aberdeen City and the Shire every week
We've subsidised the public sector over the last five years, entirely from our own cash reserves
We operate services across 17 different locations (one is online), supporting people at all stages of life
Why we need your help
"VSA provide me with emotional support and a safe space to talk about how I’m feeling. It’s nice to talk to someone who understands my position and won’t judge me at all. If I didn’t have VSA I would be struggling a lot. It would be hard to go on with day to day life without struggling as a young carer."
Our campaign Keep our Northern light shining bright has been co-created with people we support and powered by Electrify.
Every week we support around 2,000 people to live well at every stage of life.
This includes working with vulnerable children and adults who have complex additional learning and support needs, people experiencing long-term mental ill health conditions, addiction, or social isolation and unpaid carers.
As well as nursery support and residential education for children with profound developmental needs, we run residential care homes for young adults recovering from mental health crises and adult long term residential care homes.
And of course, there our much cherished Easter Anguston Farm, where adults with additional support needs assist in tending to the animals and helping with its running.
Let's meet some of these very special people.
Cat, Charlie’s mum, shares how she knew Linn Moor School was the right place for him.
Charlie was diagnosed with autistic spectrum disorder at the age of six, and he joined Linn Moor School when he was nine.
Since then, with the school’s support, Charlie has come on in leaps and bounds. Watching his confidence and abilities grow has made an incredibly difficult decision so much easier for Cat.
Jim volunteers at The Mercat Bookshop and Easter Anguston Farm, and has shared how alcoholism has impacted his life.
With his father and brother both passing away due to alcohol, Jim was following the same path.
With VSA's support Jim has found community, purpose, and happiness through our volunteer services.
Leslie has been living in VSA’s supported living at Craigton Grove for many years, after being separated from his adopted parents.
Living at Craigton gives Leslie support, joy and hope.
A trainee at VSA’s Easter Anguston Farm, Leslie loves life with VSA.
Now 83, Phil has been living with dementia since he was in his 50s.
Around nine years ago, he made the move to VSA's Crosby House.
Although he can't remember the exact timing, Phil is certain of one thing - he has never regretted his decision.
“VSA's a family. It doesn't matter what service you work in, we're all here to support each other."
Aged 16, Chloe is an unpaid carer to her sister Aspen (12).
Our Aberdeenshire Carer's team support Chloe, providing her with emotional support.
They've created a a safe space to talk about her caring responsibilities.
Paul is a resident at Arrdeir House, one of our residential mental health and wellbeing facilities.
He has autism, Asperger's, Bipolar and Schizophrenia.
With 24 hour support from the staff at Arrdeir, Paul has made friends and improved his mental health in a safe and secure environment.
At the same time as launching our new campaign, we're also revealing a new strategy.
It takes VSA back to the heart of our charitable roots that our founders in 1870 established.
Going forward, we will deliver more flexible care into Aberdeen City and Shire communities, and offer care in people’s own homes.
This means helping people remain in their own homes for longer, but to do so, requires a substantial focus on diversifying our funding streams and rebuilding a volunteer force.
