Townsfolk invited to come along and ‘Get to Know Us’

PEOPLE with learning disabilities in Oban are calling on locals to ‘Be a Friend’ and take the time to get to know them at an event on Tuesday May 15.

The Get to Know us event, organised by ENABLE Scotland’s Oban group, will be held in the Lorn Resource Centre, Soroba Road, Oban at 3pm.

The charity says nine out of 10 Scots who have learning disabilities have experienced bullying and fewer than one in three can name a friend.

Theresa Shearer, chief executive officer of ENABLE Scotland, said: ‘This year, to mark Learning Disability Week, we are getting out into the Oban community and breaking down the barriers our members and the people we support tell us still exist.

‘One of the biggest barriers is loneliness and isolation, made worse by lack of understanding of learning disability.

‘We want to engage with communities and individuals in Oban to show them people who have learning disabilities are just people.

‘More than that, they are neighbours, colleagues, family members and friends. They have hopes and ambitions, a sense of humour and the same rights as everyone else to be a full part of the local community.’