Pottery gives army veteran new lease of life at age 78

Jim McGoran discovered later in life that he had a talent for pottery.

At the ripe old age of 78, and after battling cancer, Army veteran Jim McGoran is sculpting a new career as a talented and original potter.

Jim, an ex-British Army Cadet and Territorial Army commissioned officer, discovered his talent for throwing and sculpting clay while attending the activity centre at the Erskine Veterans Charity, near Paisley.

It was there he tried pottery for the first time three years ago, and he has been honing his craft ever since.

Charity’s support

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 with his newfound skill, leading to custom requests from family members.

He said: “Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would be taking up a new hobby at the age of 75 – and still practising 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 the cargo ships it was once used to load with cars and tanks on their onward journey down the Clyde.

The exhibition, which was organised by Erskine and ran for five months last year, 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 organisation 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.”

‘It has given me a new lease of life’

Jim found himself seeking support from Erskine after losing wife Jean in 2021. He had been caring for Jean – who was living with Alzheimer’s – while he was also fighting his own battle with oesophageal cancer and a skull carcinoma.

Jim would eventually overcome his own conditions, but any joy at that success was crushed when his wife passed away.

Jean had retired from being a teacher at 60 and he said he noticed a gradual change in her behaviour.

“It was the start of a very traumatic time for us all as a family, and that combined with my own illness really started to take its toll,” he said.

Then a friend stepped in with a life-changing suggestion.

“Her husband had been admitted to Erskine to live as he was too unwell to be cared for at home,” Jim explained. “She knew all about it and encouraged me to come along to see what I thought.

“I loved it straight away. I enjoy the banter and I was always keen to share my creative side, which I have been able to do in the pottery classes.

“It has given me a new lease of life and a passion to explore further.”

Jim was warmly welcomed at the Erskine base at Bishopton, Renfrewshire, where he receives unrestricted access to a range of facilities including creative therapy, talking therapy, archery and healthcare services from hearing clinics to podiatry – along with a sense of community with other residents.

In addition to pottery, he enjoys time in the allotments, working in the polytunnels and greenhouse, and attending personal training sessions in the accessible gym.

He said that these activities keep him active and connected, while the camaraderie of his fellow veterans offers a strong social support network.

The charity

Charities such as Erskine rely heavily on funding and donations. Erskine benefits from being part of a charity consortium, Bighearted Scotland, which helps four Scottish charities collaborate to achieve more effective fundraising via payroll giving.

The primary focus is securing payroll giving – also known as Give as You Earn – which 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, 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, chairwoman 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.

“We want to make donating and giving back as easy as possible to benefit four Scottish charities: Erskine, animal charity Onekind, Epilepsy Scotland and Spina Bifida Hydrocephalus Scotland.”

For more information about how individuals or companies can sign up to payroll giving and support veteran charities such as Erskine, visit www.bighearted.co.uk