Friends of ANCHOR is deeply saddened to announce the passing of our beloved co-founder and chairman, Sir James Milne CBE.
Jim passed peacefully at home, surrounded by his family, on the 10th of November 2026.
It is hard to put into words Sir Jim's profound impact on not only Friends of ANCHOR and Balmoral Group, but the North East of Scotland as a whole. Sir Jim built Balmoral into a renowned global leader across multiple markets and, as co-founder and chairman of Friends of ANCHOR, made a lasting, positive impact on the lives of thousands of people across the north of Scotland affected by cancer or a blood disorder.
Jim’s support for Friends of ANCHOR was deeply personal and enduring. We feel incredibly fortunate to have had his belief in our work and his determination to make a meaningful difference to the lives of others. His generosity has helped make possible so much of the support we see delivered alongside NHS care every day.
Balmoral Group remains committed to protecting and celebrating the legacy Jim created, which includes the continued funding of Friends of ANCHOR and The Milne Family Foundation.
We will never forget Jim's words:
“Time. The greatest gift you can give someone is your time. Because when you give your time, you give a portion of your life that you will never get back.” – Sir James Milne, CBE 1940 -2026
Our thoughts are with Lady Milne, Sarah-Jane, Caroline, Cameron, Ewan, their wider family, grandchildren and everyone who knew him.
We kindly ask that you respect the family's privacy at this difficult time. The funeral service will be private and in the near future, we will provide details of how you can share your condolences and memories with the Milne family. The family kindly asks for no flowers and instead a donation to be made to Friends of ANCHOR.