Rowan Alba

What Rowan Alba does

Rowan Alba is an Edinburgh-based charitable organisation (Company Limited by Guarantee; Charity No. SC036775) founded in 2004 that delivers supported accommodation and community services to people experiencing homelessness in Scotland. Its core offering is a portfolio of eight accommodation services spanning settled homes-for-life units (Thorntree Street for men over 50, Thorntree Mill for men under 50, Birkentree House for women), transitional temporary accommodation (Stramullion, Broomhouse, Pilton, Fusion for 16–25 year-olds), and the CARDS community befriending program that supports people with addiction and ARBD to remain in their own homes.

The organisation's distinguishing capability is the Thorntree Model, a trauma-informed, non-judgmental supported-living methodology that provides 24/7 staffed accommodation without conditions of stay — tenants are not required to abstain from alcohol and can come and go freely. Since 2004 only one Thorntree Street tenant has been asked to leave, and the model claims £3 saved for every £1 spent on care. The model is operationally layered with embedded NHS Lothian clinical psychology, CARDS volunteer befriending (70+ active volunteers), and community engagement programs (Community Photovoice, Art Group, Self-Management, Allotment, Forum Theatre, Blue Light Training).

Rowan Alba does not charge service users. Revenue is assembled from three streams: (1) government contracts and grants, principally from Edinburgh City Council via competitive tender; (2) donations and individual fundraising including BBC Radio 4 Christmas Appeal 2024 exposure; and (3) free training services to licensed premises. The charity tripled in size over the three years to 2026 and operates from a registered head office at 1 Lochrin Square, Edinburgh, under CEO Karen Barr and Chair Calum Wilson.

Name

Rowan Alba

Legal name

Rowan Alba Limited

Website

https://rowanalba.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Rowan Alba is an Edinburgh-based charity that delivers trauma-informed supported accommodation and community befriending services to people experiencing homelessness, operating eight sites across the city under its proprietary Thorntree Model and funded primarily by City of Edinburgh Council contracts and charitable grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Homelessness Services

NAICS

Temporary Shelters (624221), Community Housing Services (62422), Other Community Housing Services (624229), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Homelessness Prevention, Shelter & Supportive Housing Services (BPAIANAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Housing Assistance & Homeless Services (BPAGAEAB), Disability Services & Independent Living Support (BPAGAEAG)

Keywords

• Homelessness support services
• Supported accommodation
• Community befriending
• Trauma informed care
• Housing charity services

Headquarters

HQ city

Edinburgh

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Government contracts and grants: Government-funded contracts for providing accommodation and support services to homeless individuals, primarily from Edinburgh City Council
2. Donations and fundraising: Charitable donations from individuals and organizations to support homeless services
3. Training services: Free Blue Light Training provided to licensed premises on alcohol awareness and public health protection

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Rowan Alba provides supported accommodation and community support services for homeless people in Edinburgh. Its portfolio includes settled homes-for-life accommodation (Thorntree Street, Thorntree Mill, Birkentree House), transitional temporary accommodation (Stramullion, Broomhouse, Pilton, Fusion), and community-based programmes such as the CARDS befriending service. Services are delivered free of charge to beneficiaries and funded through government contracts, grants, and charitable donations.

Product overview

Rowan Alba is a homelessness charity providing a portfolio of supported accommodation services and community programs across Edinburgh. The core accommodation offerings include settled homes-for-life services (Thorntree Street for men over 50, Thorntree Mill for men under 50, Birkentree House for women) and transitional temporary accommodation (Stramullion, Broomhouse, Pilton, Fusion for young adults). These accommodation services are complemented by the CARDS community befriending program, various community engagement initiatives including Photovoice, Art Groups, Self-Management programs, Psychology Support services, and Blue Light Training for licensed premises. The organization operates from a registered head office at 1 Lochrin Square, Edinburgh.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CARDS: Community and Residential Development Support - a homelessness prevention initiative that supports people to remain in their own homes through regular social interaction and community connection, with over 70 active volunteers.
• Thorntree Street
• Thorntree Mill
• Birken Tree House
• Stramullion
• Fusion
• Pilton
• Broomhouse
• Community Allotment
• Hearts and Minds

Products and services

• Thorntree Street Settled accommodation service for men over 50 with long-term homelessness history. Provides nine self-contained apartments with 24/7 staff support and no conditions of stay, alongside full Scottish Tenancy rights and embedded NHS clinical psychology.
• Thorntree Mill Settled accommodation for men under 50 who have faced homelessness, addiction, and mental health challenges. Provides 9 independent homes with shared facilities and 24/7 support, operating under a 25-year lease with Common Ground Against Homelessness.
• Birkentree House (Birken Tree House) 14-bed safe and secure home for women who have experienced homelessness, domestic violence, addiction, mental health struggles, or prolonged housing instability. Functions as a home for life with 24/7 support.
• Stramullion Transitional accommodation providing a safe and supportive home for ten women rebuilding their lives after homelessness, with two residents sharing an apartment with a shared kitchen and lounge.
• Broomhouse Accommodation service for 15 adult men and women across five apartments with access to shared kitchen, bathroom, and lounge space, providing long-term temporary accommodation with personalised support.
• Pilton Supported long-term temporary accommodation for 15 men aged 16 years and over who have faced challenges such as family breakdown, job loss, or homelessness. Provides five shared flats.
• Fusion Temporary accommodation for 14 young adults aged 16-25 years old, with each tenant having a private bedroom and access to shared facilities. Pet-friendly service supporting independent living.
• CARDS (Community and Residential Dependency Support) Homelessness prevention initiative placing over 70 active community volunteers across Edinburgh to support people through regular social interaction, one-to-one befriending, and reducing social isolation for those with addiction and ARBD challenges.
• Blue Light Training for the Bar Trade Alcohol-awareness training programme co-created with Alcohol Change UK, delivered free to licensed premises in Edinburgh to help bar staff identify and respond to patrons experiencing alcohol-related problems.

Quantifiable outcome

• £3 saved for every £1 spent on care at Thorntree Street
• +2 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature1 record

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core, secondary and minor.

• Common Ground Against HomelessnesscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProperty owners of Thorntree Mill building in Peffermill. Common Ground Against Homelessness is a Community Interest Company (CIC) that purchased and converted the building through a Community Share Offer on ethical investment platform Ethex. Rowan Alba operates as long-term tenant under a 25-year lease, providing homes-for-life for former street homeless men.
• NHS LothiancoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEmbedded clinical psychologist across Rowan Alba's accommodation services. Partnership to provide vital psychological support to individuals who struggle to access mainstream health services due to trust issues, addiction, and difficulty attending appointments.
• City of Edinburgh CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary funder of Rowan Alba's services through vital funding. Provides referrals for homeless individuals and collaborates on the psychology pilot project.
• St Martin-in-the-FieldscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLondon-based charity funding the embedded psychology pilot project featured in BBC Radio 4 Christmas Appeal 2024. Provides financial support for psychological services at Rowan Alba accommodation.
• National Galleries of ScotlandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides venue space for Community Art Group and Power of Partnership events. Ongoing partnership supporting art-based activities and community engagement at Portrait Gallery location.
• Bield Housing AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOriginal development partner for Thorntree Street opened in 2004, providing housing association expertise for creating supported accommodation for homeless men.
• Penumbra MilestonesecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerNHS Scotland and Penumbra-run alcohol-free short-stay facility for ARBD patients. Partnership provides referral pathway to CARDS services; CARDS has staff link worker based at facility.
• Edinburgh HeadwaysecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated with Rowan Alba to develop Power of Partnership initiative, fostering collaborative partnerships within Edinburgh's health and social care community.
• Lauriston FarmsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides community allotment plot at Lauriston Farm's Agroecology site. FreshStart helped establish the plot with weekly sessions for clients and volunteers.
• FreshStartsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerEdinburgh charity helping people who have experienced homelessness. Collaborates with Rowan Alba on Community Allotment project and provides food support.
• Alcohol Change UKsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated with Rowan Alba to create Blue Light Training for the Bar Trade, supporting license holders and staff on alcohol awareness.
• The University of EdinburghsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerOriginal partnership to create Community Photovoice project as a way of giving voice to people in recovery through photography. Professor Aisha Holloway involved.
• TO Scot (Theatre of the Oppressed Scotland)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerForum Theatre company creating interactive theatre based on Rowan Alba lived experiences about homelessness and social justice. Pilot project exploring uncomfortable truths about the homelessness sector.
• Varda PicturessecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerFilm production company co-producing documentary about daily life at Thorntree Street with Isaac Knights-Washburn directing.
• Edinburgh Tool LibraryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupports Thorntree Street tenants and volunteers to learn woodwork skills, resulting in building a table and bench for the garden.
• Edinburgh Food SocialminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDelivers cooking workshops to Thorntree Street tenants and hosts events like burns supper with poetry recital.
• FareShareminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides regular food donations to Thorntree Street that would otherwise be wasted, used to create meals and snacks for tenants.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves12 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Crisis: National UK charity working to end homelessness through supported housing, Skylight centres, and policy advocacy. Major grant funder of Rowan Alba; operates broader portfolio of services at greater scale.
• St Mungo's: Major UK homelessness charity providing supported housing, recovery, and outreach services. Comparable trauma-informed supported living model, though focused on London and South West.

Direct peers

• Centrepoint: UK charity focused specifically on youth homelessness (16-25), directly comparable to Rowan Alba's Fusion service for young adults.
• Turning Point Scotland: Scotland-wide charity providing supported accommodation, addiction, and mental health services including homelessness programs. Comparable model of trauma-informed supported housing across Scottish cities.
• Social Bite: Edinburgh-headquartered homelessness charity running social enterprises and housing programs for people affected by homelessness. Comparable Edinburgh-base, charity model, and beneficiary cohort.
• Penumbra Milestone: NHS Scotland-affiliated alcohol-free short-stay facility for ARBD patients in Edinburgh. Already a referral pathway partner for Rowan Alba's CARDS service, serving overlapping ARBD and addiction populations.
• Cyrenians: Edinburgh-based charity tackling homelessness through supported accommodation, housing first initiatives, and community support. Directly comparable mission, geography, and beneficiary cohort as Rowan Alba.
• Bethany Christian Trust: Edinburgh-based Christian charity providing supported accommodation, homelessness prevention, and recovery services across Scotland. Operates similar settled and transitional housing models for homeless adults in the same city as Rowan Alba.
• Depaul UK: UK charity providing accommodation and support services for people experiencing homelessness and those at risk. Operates similar supported-living and emergency accommodation models across the UK.
• FreshStart: Edinburgh-based charity helping people who have experienced homelessness to settle into independent living. Already a partner with Rowan Alba on the Community Allotment project, serving overlapping beneficiaries.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/rowanalba
• Facebookfacebook.com/RowanalbaLtd
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/70379574
• Instagraminstagram.com/rowan_alba

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Rowan Alba