A HOMELESSNESS charity has launched a Christmas winter clothing appeal.

Blue Triangle, which has three services in East Lothian supporting those facing homelessness in Musselburgh and Port Seton, has started the appeal to help those in need.

The charity said that homelessness in Scotland had increased alarmingly since 2017/18, surpassing pre-pandemic levels.

This has been driven by several causes, including a cost-of-living crisis that has pushed lower-income people into deep poverty and a difficult housing sector with rising prices.

Last year, 35 per cent of those entering Blue Triangle services had been sleeping rough.

Jamie, a supported person at Blue Triangle’s Hamilton service, said: "I’ve been out in the cold in winter before.

"For example, the night before I came into Blue Triangle’s Hamilton service, I spent a night in Calderglen Country Park in East Kilbride because I didn’t want to go into homeless.

"But you guys have been brilliant, honestly."

Blue Triangle supports 400 people every day across Scotland through its services and outreach work.

Many young people and adults arrive at Blue Triangle with only the clothes on their back.

The Christmas winter clothing appeal aims to provide people supported by Blue Triangle with the essentials they need to keep warm this Christmas and beyond.

A total of 41 per cent of those who entered Blue Triangle services last year were under the age of 25.

Amy is a young person who was supported by the Bank Street service in Kilmarnock.

Thanks to the support from staff, Amy was successfully accepted into Dundee University to study art and now is living independently.

Amy said: "A few weeks before officially moving on from Blue Triangle, I decided to do two murals: one of Bank Street in Kilmarnock and the other showing the tree of life, quoting ‘turn over a new leaf’, as a thanks for the support during my stay, as I doubt I would be thriving at university right now without them."

Visit bluetriangle.org.uk/christmas for more information.