To celebrate its 50th anniversary, Blue Triangle’s Oban service hosted an action packed day of outdoor adventure on Friday 23 May, bringing together supported people and staff from across Scotland.
Joined by services from North Lanarkshire, Glasgow and Paisley, the Oban team marked the occasion in partnership with local organisation Hebridean Pursuits, offering abseiling, rock climbing and coasteering to the adults and young people they support. The day ended with a relaxed BBQ, bringing everyone together to reflect, celebrate and enjoy the final day of a long spell of West Coast sunshine—after four weeks of blue skies, the rain is now on its way!
Founded in 1975, Blue Triangle is a national charity, social care provider and registered landlord offering housing and support to people experiencing homelessness. Its Oban service, opened in 2006, is the charity’s most north-westerly location and plays a vital role in supporting people locally.
The service is also home to SORCHA, a project which works with people affected by addiction, homelessness, and poor mental health. SORCHA offers ongoing, one-to-one support, whether people are living in supported accommodation, moving into a new home, or trying to stay on their feet in the community.
Weekly activities, such as Brunch and Banter and recovery groups, create a safe space for people to connect, while partnerships with the NHS, local police, “We Are With You” addiction services, and others ensure every aspect of a person’s wellbeing is considered.
Lisa MacDonald, Service Manager for Blue Triangle Oban, said:
“We had a fantastic day celebrating Blue Triangle’s 50th anniversary—there was so much energy and laughter. It was brilliant to see supported people from across Scotland come together, challenge themselves, and enjoy the stunning Oban scenery. We were especially lucky with the weather. After four weeks of sunshine, it looks like we caught the very last of it today! Huge thanks to Hebridean Pursuits for making the day such a success.”
Blue Triangle now operates 30 services across ten local authorities in Scotland and is a finalist in two categories at the SCVO Scottish Charity Awards 2025: Charity of the Year and People’s Choice.
Between 2023-24:
43% supported people moved into their own tenancies
41% of those admitted to services were under 25 years old
35% of those entering the services experienced sleeping rough
30% of supported people faced eviction in their previous tenancies
15% of those admitted to services were fleeing violence
The highest level of admission to Blue Triangle services from 2023-24 was South Lanarkshire (35%), followed by Renfrewshire (24%) and Glasgow (12%). This year, the organisation opened the first Recovery Housing service in Kilmarnock, funded by CORRA Foundation, in partnership with East Ayrshire Drug & Alcohol Partnership.
To mark their 50th anniversary, Blue Triangle have launched a podcast, ‘A Voice in the Dark’ is available via Acast, Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts and Spotify
Notes to Editors
For more information or to request interviews please contact: Lyndsey Murison, Communications Coordinator, [email protected], 07908993066
