05 Aug 2026
Strong partnerships are essential to improving mental health outcomes in Scotland’s rural and island communities. When organisations come together around a shared purpose, they can reach people in ways that individual services often cannot. The Scottish Firearms Mental Health Awareness and Support Partnership is one example of that.
Born from conversations between mental health organisations, policing and rural sector partners, the initiative demonstrates how trusted relationships can help break down stigma, encourage early intervention and ultimately save lives.
Across the UK, there are more than 728,000 firearms certificate holders, with just over 100,000 in Scotland. Historically, many people within this community have been reluctant to seek support for their mental health due to concerns about how it can affect their licence.
Recognising this barrier, partners worked together to develop practical guidance that reassures certificate holders that seeking help is a positive step to good wellbeing.
The resulting Firearms and Mental Health leaflet, redesigned in 2024, provides clear information and signposting to licence holders – encouraging open conversations about mental health before people reach crisis point. It helps to normalise seeking support while reducing stigma.
This work reflects the values at the heart of the National Rural and Islands Mental Health Forum: listening to communities, understanding their unique challenges and co-designing solutions that are relevant, accessible and trusted.
The Scottish Firearms Mental Health Awareness and Support Partnership is a UK-first, bringing together the likes of Change Mental Health, Police Scotland, RSABI and a growing network of rural organisations, charities and agencies. By combining expertise from across sectors, the group has been able to develop an approach that resonates with communities who may not engage with traditional mental health campaigns.
The partnership, while new, is already a reminder that improving the mental health is not just the responsibility of one organisation. It is everyone’s business to tackle mental health and it requires collective action.
Chief Inspector Bruce Crawford of Police Scotland’s National Firearms and Explosives Licensing team, who pioneered the partnership, has highlighted that the success comes from the commitment and shared vision of everyone involved. Its goal is simple: to ensure people feel safe and supported to come forward if their mental health changes, knowing that early conversations can lead to better outcomes for both individuals and their communities.
The initiative has already been recognised nationally, receiving a nomination for a Police Scotland Chief Constable Partnership Award. More importantly, it has sparked conversations across Scotland’s rural communities, including at the Royal Highland Show, where organisations invited visitors, stakeholders and elected representatives to pledge their support for tackling stigma and encouraging people to seek help early.
As the National Rural and Islands Mental Health Forum continues to bring organisations together, this partnership shows the impact of connecting voices around a shared goal. By building trust, sharing expertise and working alongside communities, we can create environments where people feel able to talk openly about mental health, access support sooner and strengthen the wellbeing of rural Scotland for generations to come.
