Meet the Founders

Co- Founders Andrew McDougall and Esther O’Connor

  • Co-Founder and Director

    Esther is an innovative self-starter with experience in project planning/ management, event planning, budget management, team management and community fundraising.

    A business owner and entrepreneur with 15 years of expertise in marketing, and product development.

    She has spent several years carrying out front-line work with people in addiction and homelessness, managing caseloads, creating and sustaining individual care plans for people, group work, assisting people to access rehab and line-managing and training staff and volunteers.

    She has experience in partnership working and networking with different agencies including MPs/MSPs, Local Authorities, Rehabs and homelessness services.

    Esther also holds a management qualification (SVQ level 4 in Health and Social Care)

  • CEO and Co-Founder

    Andrew has 12 years experience of working in the fields of addiction and homelessness. He successfully managed a 17-bed residential men's recovery home (The Lighthouse). During his time in management there he focused on partnership working and improving the culture of the home so that it operated at full capacity as a thriving residential recovery house.

    He also spent 7 years as part of the leadership in ‘Betel of Britain’ a Christian recovery community where he was responsible for running a large gardening and landscaping social enterprise, as well as managing their 22-bed residential men's homes and providing 1-2-1 support work.

    He has recently worked as a project Coordinator for Glasgow-based charity Street Connect’ which included 1-2-1 work with people experiencing addiction and homelessness, helping people to access rehab, project planning, overseeing supported accommodation flats, and line managing 6 of the staff team.

    Andrews's lived experience means that he can effectively connect with people experiencing addiction and homelessness. He also leads the organisation from a position of personally understanding the challenges of addiction and its associated issues.

    He also has his SVQ level 4 management qualification in Health and Social Care.

Meet the Aruka Board

  • Linda Todd (Chair)

    Retired CEO of the Leprosy Mission Scotland. 25 years experience of all aspects of leadership in an international Christian development organisation, including fundraising and governance. Previous 14 years experience with Blue Triangle Housing Association with homeless and addiction.

  • Anne McGregor (Tresurer)

    Chartered Accountant with ICAS MSc Public Policy. Bachelor of Accountancy. Twenty-five years of experience, primarily in public and charity sectors. For the past 5 years, employed as a forensic accountant in the civil service.

  • Jenny Honey (Vice Chair)

    Retired Marketing & Communications manager at Scottish Enterprise, and long term Board member at Glasgow City Mission.

  • Margaret Anne Vickerman (Secretary)

    35 Years experience in Administration, Finance, Health & Safety (Nebosh Level 3) and Leadership (20 years as a Director) in an Electrical Engineering Company. Assisted the setting up of the Charity ‘Take Heart for the Nations’ and served as a trustee and Treasurer for several years. Trustee and Secretary of the Charity ’Outreach Europe’ Currently serving at Freedom City Church as Company Secretary and adviser in administrator and Finance.

  • Tim O'Connor

    Glasgow City Mission

    Rehab Pathways Co-Ordinator

    Experienced in Rehab Pathways work, addiction recovery work and work with those in homelessness and poverty and with mental health issues. Leading the Rehab Pathways project at GCM

  • Barry Murphy

    Church of the Nazarene in Glasgow.

    Associate Pastor

    Experienced in Rehab Pathways work, addiction recovery work and work with prisoners and their families

  • Geoff McKay

    North Lanarkshire Resident with 20 years local church leadership and ministry experience