Tag: Cyrenians

LEAP rehab service fully restored

People living in Lothian with serious alcohol and drug problems can now access help from an expanded rehabilitation service.

The Lothians and Edinburgh Abstinence Programme (LEAP) is providing more placements than ever before thanks to its renewed partnership with the City of Edinburgh Council and support from the Edinburgh Integration Joint Board and The Cyrenians.

Up to 22 people can now benefit from one of the intensive three-month residential placements to overcome their addiction in a safe and supportive environment. The service provides clinical, medical and therapeutic support backed up by two years of aftercare and peer support and a family programme.

The boost will help to significantly reduce waiting times for patients looking to access the service following lockdown. It is in line with Scottish Government priorities for increasing residential rehabilitation provision.

Dr David McCartney, Clinical Lead for LEAP, NHS Lothian explains: “As a direct result of the pandemic we had to reduce service capacity to just 40 per cent. While we continued to provide some patient support remotely, our residential services were reduced to just 8 places.

“With the help of our partners we are back operating the full range of services again, helping even more people to get help and support as quickly as possible.

“The majority of LEAP patients starting the programme complete it. Nearly two thirds of them reach their goal of a long-term successful alcohol and drug-free recovery with significant improvements in their mental and physical health.”

LEAP is currently operating as a partnership between NHS Lothian, the Edinburgh Health and Social Care Partnership, The Cyrenians, Access to Industry and Rehabilitation and Recovery Team Social Workers.

It offers detoxication and therapeutic treatment for people who want to become alcohol and drug free alongside structured, practical support to get into work or education as part of people’s recovery if needed.

Patients can also access psychiatry, psychology and occupational therapy services whilst in treatment.

Lesley Taylor, Registered Manager, City of Edinburgh Council, said: “We’re delighted to be working with LEAP again to help roll-out this essential service. 

“Our team have a valuable role in providing accommodation and support, not only for the initial three-month placement but also in assisting individuals address their longer-term housing needs.” 

Linda Nichol, a volunteer with NHS Lothian’s subsistence misuse team and former LEAP patient and PEER supporter encourages anyone struggling with addiction to access the service. She said: “LEAP changed my life. It helped me recognise that I had a disease and gave me the confidence and support I needed to turn my life around.

“If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction then ask for help and get referred into LEAP. It is possible to change your whole life beyond your wildest dreams.”

LEAP is open to people who have a serious problem with alcohol or other drugs.  Anyone interested in being assessed for residential treatment should speak to their GP, health, support or social care worker. 

More information can be found at: 

https://services.nhslothian.scot/leap/Pages/default.aspx

Food That Goes Further: Cyrenians launch summer appeal

Cyrenians has launched their summer appeal ‘Food That Goes Further’, appealing for regular support to their community food projects to ‘help make sure that no one goes hungry’. 

Cyrenians is a Scottish homelessness charity, tackling the causes and consequences of homelessness. A large part of their work includes their community food projects – including community pantries, offering dignified access to low-cost, high-quality food, and cooking skills classes. 

Joe Gair, Cook School volunteer, said: “No one should have to go hungry. Too often, people struggling to make ends meet are told what to eat, when, and who with – often, that means people just go without. This isn’t good enough. 

“Food insecurity comes as a result of living in poverty, and having to make impossible choices, like paying for food or paying your rent. It isolates you from the wider community and has a real impact on your mental and physical wellbeing.  

“At our Good Food projects, anyone can come, which makes getting food as well as support so much easier. From money issues to housing, once you’ve built up a relationship with someone, it’s much easier to talk about it and find out how to get help.”  

Cyrenians’ food projects include a diverse range of social enterprises – from Cyrenians Farm in Kirknewton, and Arnotdale House and Café in Falkirk, to their Community Cook School and Fareshare depot in Leith. Providing value to local communities, and creating employment and training opportunities, the profits raised from these projects are then reinvested back into Cyrenians’ work tackling homelessness. 

Sue O’Neill-Berest, Food Education Manager, said: “Communities cannot be held responsible for food insecurity in Scotland, but community food projects are well-placed to respond to crises, and to promote dignity at a local level.

That’s why our food projects make sure that people can access low-cost, high quality food, and with dignity: open to all, and where people are able to choose what they eat, and when.”

Ewan Aitken CEO, said: “At Cyrenians, we know that the social connections that are creating around making and sharing meals can be just as important as the meals themselves. Building strong community relationships and making sure people can get support they need way before they reach crisis point is a key part of our work tackling homelessness. 

“In addition to that, we’re creating employment and job opportunities for communities, and helping to increase the availability of good food to local communities – working with local businesses and producers to create sustainable food networks that are good for people and good for the planet. 

“Our community food projects are needed more than ever. We need to build on these projects – but we can’t do that alone. 

“If you can, please support our #FoodThatGoesFurther appeal and help make sure that no one goes hungry” 

www.cyrenians.scot/foodthatgoesfurther 

Cyrenians Fareshare depot delivers equivalent of over 4.2 million meals to charities and community groups

In the past year, Cyrenians’ FareShare depot based in Leith has distributed 1,800 tonnes of food to charities and community groups across Central and South East Scotland – the equivalent of creating over 4.2 million meals, and a three-fold increase on previous year. 

Cyrenians tackles the causes and consequences of homelessness. Building community through food and tackling food poverty is a large part of their work – through their FareShare depot in Leith, the charity redistributes surplus food from the supply chain to charities and community groups across Central and South East Scotland. 

Cyrenians FareShare Depot Operations Supervisor Craig Buchan said, “Ever since the start of covid-19 we have seen an increased demand for access to food in a quick, dignified manner. At the height of the pandemic, we were supporting over 200 Community Food Members – all of whom are organisations in their own right, delivering valuable services in their community. 

“Our model is two-fold; we prevent unnecessary food waste by working with large supermarkets and food networks to prevent surplus food being sent to waste, whilst helping organisations like Empty Kitchens Full Hearts and Eildon Housing Association and many others to redirect funds into essential frontline work by providing nutritious food at low costs.” 

Director of Commercial and Trading Services Mike Hartley added: “With the communities we serve still facing increasing pressure, and charities and community groups providing a real lifeline in these difficult times, it’s clear that this service has never been more needed. 

“Alongside supporting other groups across Central and South East Scotland, the depot team have helped to deliver valuable services right here in Edinburgh too. 

“With the help of our community partners and amazing volunteers, we have been able to continue running a range of community pantries across Edinburgh – offering dignified access to high quality affordable food. This enabled us to provide over 2,500 bags of food for pantry members.

“None of this could be possible without a dedicated team of staff and volunteers, alongside the financial support of individuals and businesses far and wide.

“On behalf of everyone at Cyrenians, I offer our sincere gratitude.” 

To find out more, visit www.cyrenians.scot  

Cyrenians and Bethany Christian Trust receive £2500 donation each from Scotmid to support homelessness across Edinburgh

  • Donations will support both charities work and services across Edinburgh.

Cyrenians and the Bethany Christian Trust have both received donations of £2500 from convenience store retailer, Scotmid, to help support homelessness across Edinburgh and the Lothians.

The charities received a £1500 cash donation as well as £1000 in Scotmid vouchers to help users of their accommodation services gain a sense of independence, as the vouchers will allow them to purchase items for themselves, from Scotmid stores.

Ewan Aitken, CEO at Cyrenians, said: “Thank you very much indeed to Scotmid. It is such a delight to talk with an organisation that is so open to ideas and understands intuitively the importance of dignity in how we support people.

“The vouchers will be a welcome addition to those who have been disproportionately affected by the impact of the pandemic. They will allow each person to hold on to dignity as they are able to choose food and toiletry items that meet their own preferences and needs. 

“We are very grateful that Scotmid, like us, recognise the power of supporting individuals to make their own steps towards recovery and a positive life journey.”

Bethany Christian Trust will be using its vouchers to help men who are seeking to move on from a history of homelessness and addiction. The Bethany Christian Centre facilitates a safe and supportive space for individuals to grow in their recovery, helping them reach a place where they feel ready to move into permanent accommodation and sustain independent living for the future.

Alasdair Bennett, CEO at Bethany Christian Trust, said: “We are really grateful for the donation of £2,500 from Scotmid, which will go directly to supporting the men in the recovery project, contributing to the range of opportunities provided within this life saving service.”

Since April 2020, Bethany Christian Centre has accommodated and supported 26 different men who were seeking to improve their lives and opportunities.

Harry Cairney, Chairman of Scotmid, said: “Our stores focus on serving the local communities that they are located in and so it’s important for us to be able to support charities that work within those communities, improving people’s everyday lives.

“We are pleased to be able to make these donations to both Cyrenians and Bethany Christian Trust to aid the incredible work they do.”

Brian was a previous resident at Bethany Christian Centre and has now moved on to his own flat.

Brian said: “Before I arrived at Bethany Christian Centre, my life was very sad and I suffered with depression. I had really lost all hope. I constantly battled feelings of fear and insecurity, but instead of trying to get help I found an escape in drink and drugs and shut myself away from others.

“Although I’ve had periods of recovery from time to time, I never felt that I could see a way out and become totally free.

“I came to Bethany Christian Centre to get help for my addiction. I was lost and had no direction or hope. Coming to the Centre has helped me see myself differently; that I am fully loved and accepted. It hasn’t been an easy programme for me but without the help of the staff, I don’t think I would have made it.

“With their love I have found strength and confidence within me that I never thought I could have. Now, I have more to look forward to, and I’m excited to have moved on to my own flat. I thank God for the people he has put in my life and for the newfound love and security that I have.”

Businesses unite to spread Christmas cheer to thousands through shoebox appeal

·        Royal Bank of Scotland’s Winter Sparkle festive campaign aims to bring cheer to 10,000 people and families this Christmas

·        Bank’s charity partner BaxterStorey is distributing 100,000 meals to the country’s most vulnerable as part of the drive

·        Businesses and organisations including The Scottish Book Trust, Tesco and Amazon back the drive

·        Social Bite, Cyrenians, The Felix Project and Edinburgh Food Project help take the programme to Scotland’s neediest communities

Royal Bank of Scotland has partnered with hospitality provider BaxterStorey and security company G4S, to distribute more than 10,000 shoeboxes full of toys, books, games, food and items of clothing for vulnerable people and families across Scotland, as part of the bank’s Winter Sparkle initiative.

The shoeboxes – which have been packed in a socially distant setting at the bank’s Gogarburn HQ in Edinburgh – are being given to charity partners Social Bite, Cyrenians, The Felix Project and Edinburgh Food Project, to distribute amongst thousands of individuals and families they support across the country.

Catering company BaxterStorey will also prepare and deliver an additional 100,000 cooked meals for vulnerable families in Scotland, thanks to generous donations of fresh produce from a number of the Royal Bank’s agricultural customers. 

Other supporters of the project include the Scottish Book Trust, Tesco and Business in the Community, while employees and customers of the bank have been able to purchase items via a bespoke Amazon wish list.

The shoebox initiative is the latest project from the team behind the foodbank distribution centre at Gogarburn. It was set up in March by bank employee, Sheena Hales, in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, to offer charities a space to store large food deliveries. In October, Sheena was awarded a British Empire Medal in recognition of her efforts.

Since opening, the foodbank centre has distributed around 6,000 meals per week, taken in huge donations including 220,000 items of new clothing, and welcomed truckloads of potatoes and carrots – all to be issued by charities to those in need.

Along with donations of food and clothing, the foodbank has also helped furnish a homeless shelter in Glasgow and through a partnership with the Scottish Book Trust, has provided families with learning packs, storybooks and even tablets and Wi-Fi access to support with remote learning.

Sheena Hales, Programme Capability Manager at Royal Bank of Scotland and Manager of the Gogarburn distribution centre, said: “Christmas can always be a challenging time but the events and added pressures of 2020 have undoubtedly created extra stress and anxiety for many families.

“The foodbank has been committed to supporting those in need since the onset of the pandemic and while the food parcels will be essential, it’s also our hope that the little extra treats in the boxes will put a few smiles on faces this festive season.

“Crucially, this has been a team effort and none of it would be possible without the hard work and dedication of our volunteers or the generosity of our staff, customers and strategic partners who have worked tirelessly to make the foodbank what it is”

Caroline Bacigalupo, Operations Manager at BaxterStorey, said: “We are delighted to have been working with local community councils and local charities, supplying a variety of sweet treats and hearty meals.

“This Christmas, we plan to fill over 10,000 boxes for Christmas gifts and food packages to help those in need across Edinburgh and the Lothians. 

“With the ongoing support of our team at BaxterStorey, G4S and of course Royal Bank of Scotland, we will be out delivering the packages in the run-up to Christmas.”

Malcolm Buchanan, Chair, Scotland Board, Royal Bank of Scotland said: “The work that our foodbank team has delivered throughout 2020 has been truly admirable and the results achieved reflect the unwavering commitment of our staff, customers and partners, who have all gone above and beyond to support those in their local communities.

“Under Sheena’s leadership, the team have been working behind the scenes to coordinate, manage and store huge deliveries and have all been busy packing up the shoeboxes ready for distribution. Our charity partners will then take the wheel, allocating the boxes to the incredibly deserving individuals and families within their support networks.”

There’s still time to take the Next Step this Winter

There’s still time to take the #NextStep and support people like Ben this winter.

This year we need your support to provide people experiencing homelessness the opportunity to take their #NextStep. 

Our services from street outreach to family mediation have never been more needed. With the impact of Covid still ongoing, we’re seeing rising numbers of people who need us.

You can take action now and help tackle homelessness right here in Scotland.

As we move into Winter, we are asking if you could help people like Ben take the #NextStep towards a more settled and positive future.  

For every £10 donated to our #NextStep winter appeal, our generous appeal sponsors will match your donation pound for pound making your gift go further. 

Your gift could support people like Ben to access essential short-term survival items, and work with our Navigators to move into safe accommodation with access to food and support over the harsh winter months. 

Families like Ben’s could access our award-winning family mediators to support them to navigate family conflict and prevent their young person from leaving home. 

Whatever you can do to support people like Ben this winter, thank you. With warm wishes this winter, The Team at Cyrenians.

https://cyrenians.scot/donate

‘Leith Gives’ campaign appeals for help to ease pressure of pandemic over winter months

New campaign ‘Leith Gives’ appeals for help to ease pressure of pandemic over winter months 

Seventeen North Edinburgh charities, alongside community organisations, local schools, rugby clubs and others brought together by the Leith Trust, have joined forces in a bid to support people most likely to be hit hardest by coronavirus and associated restrictions this winter as a new collaboration, Leith Gives.  

With food banks at risk of being overwhelmed and people likely to feel more isolated during winter months, Leith Gives is hopeful that, with successful fundraising, they will be able to do everything possible to support vulnerable people in December and January. 

John Evans, Leith Gives, (above) said: “Leith Gives is seeking support to raise funds for vulnerable households facing a challenging lockdown amid the second wave of the COVID pandemic. This will allow us to provide tailored food hampers and other household essentials to vulnerable individuals and families in the run up to Christmas and again in late January. 

“We also plan to provide gifts and other items people may need to celebrate Christmas, Diwali, Hanukah and other festivals, and to offer practical help to get people online and connect with loved ones or support groups. 

“People in Leith and north Edinburgh are well known for looking out for the most vulnerable members of our communities and I’m confident that with their support and the collective knowledge and expertise of all the members of Leith Gives, we can spread some hope during what is likely to be a testing winter.

“We believe this approach to be impactful and innovative in its collaboration and every penny raised goes to help the people we support.’’ 

To make a donation, please go to: https://justgiving.com/campaign/LeithGives 

Leith Gives collaborating partners:

All Together Edinburgh 

Citadel Youth Centre

Cyrenians

Dangerous Studio

Doctor Bell’s Family Centre

Edinburgh Academy

Edinburgh Community Food

Edinburgh Remakery

Fettes College

Forth Ports (Port of Leith)

Hibs Community Foundation

Home Start Leith and north Edinburgh

Leith Academy

Leith Rotary

Leith Trust

Milan (Senior Welfare Organisation) 

Multi Cultural Family Base

Out of the Blue Print

People Know How

Pilmeny Development Project

Port of Leith Housing Association (PoLHA)

South Leith Parish Church

The Leith Agency

The Ripple Project

Trinity Academy

Trinity Primary School

YMCA 

Volunteers:
BATs Community Rugby Club
Clockwork Removals
Leith Rugby Club
Trinity Rugby Club 

You’re invited to our SCCR Virtual Conference

Cyrenians Scottish Centre for Conflict Resolution is holding a month-long, all-digital festival of FREE events in place of our annual conference.

This exciting programme includes several internationally-renowned special guests.

Please feel free to sign up to as many as you wish!

We are honoured that the digital festival will commence with a film screening of ‘Nae Pasaran’. This 2018 documentary is directed, written and produced by our dear friend Felipe Bustos Sierra. He is a BAFTA-winning filmmaker and creative director at Debasers, a production company based in Glasgow.

You may already know Felipe as the cinematic wizard behind the SCCR’s film ‘Phases of Transition’ which premiered at our 2019 Faces of Transition Annual Conference.

In his first cinema documentary, Felipe tells the powerful story of a long-forgotten solidarity action by factory workers in East Kilbride and ‘Nae Pasaran’ has gone on to receive the BAFTA Scotland Award for Best Feature.

The stunning film will be screened on the 1st of October at 7pm via Zoom and followed by a Q&A with Felipe himself to launch SCCR’s International Conference: Connections & bridging the divide.

12A/12 – Suitable for 12 years and over. Films classified 12A and video works classified 12 contain material that is not generally suitable for children aged under 12. No one younger than 12 may see a 12A film unless accompanied by an adult.

This event will be delivered on the online platform Zoom. If you book on to the event you will be sent the details via email on how to join nearer the time to the event when bookings have closed.

Please note Zoom offers video capability so you can join with your webcam on, but this is entirely up to you and this option can be turned off. However we would love to see your faces and feel it is a more interactive experience with videos on.

We hope to see you online soon!

Mimi’s Bakehouse supports Cyrenians through ‘pay it forward’ scheme

Mimi’s Bakehouse is offering its customers a fresh way to support homelessness charity Cyrenians with its ‘pay it forward’ scheme, delivering cakes and sweet treats for at-risk communities across Edinburgh.

Cyrenians, a Scottish charity tackling the causes and consequences of homelessness, has adapted many of its service as part of its response to COVID19.

Their Community Cook School, which provided classes to those at-risk or with experience of homelessness, is now a production kitchen cooking 5000 nutritious ready meals a week, delivering to communities across Edinburgh: from those suffering the injustice of food poverty, to frontline workers separated from their families.

Mimi’s Bakehouse is now offering their customers the opportunity to ‘pay it forward’ by purchasing a box of handcrafted cakes for donation to Cyrenians to include in their food deliveries.

Ashley Harley from Mimi’s Bakehouse said: “We were keen to work with Cyrenians as they are providing an invaluable service to our local community during this particularly difficult time and nothing spreads joy more than boxes of cake.

“We are very lucky to have a wonderful customer base that donated over 500 boxes of cake to the NHS during peak lockdown and we hope to continue supporting others as best we can going forward.”

Ewan Aitken, CEO, said: “It’s been staggering and humbling to see the way that communities across Scotland have come together during an exceptionally difficult time, and we’re incredibly grateful for this generous show of support from Mimi’s Bakehouse.

“It’s absolutely wonderful to be able to include these high-end products in our deliveries, letting people know how valued they are – I would like to extend a thank you from myself and from everyone at Cyrenians to Mimi’s Bakehouse, and to their customers in advance, for their compassion and generosity.”

Find out more https://mimisbakehouse.com/collections/pay-it-forward/products/pay-it-forward-cyerians-box

Cyrenians delivers over one million meals during covid19 outbreak

  • Cyrenians FareShare depot quadruples output due to increased demand, delivering over 419 tonnes of food – approximately 1 million meals worth of food – since March
  • Making use of FareShare produce, the Community Cook School, having been converted into a production kitchen, is cooking roughly 5000 healthy, freezer-ready meals a week

 

In Leith’s Jane Street, two converted warehouses are currently responsible for supporting hundreds of people impacted from covid-19: from frontline workers separated from families, to elderly people and families across central and south east Scotland suffering the injustice of food poverty.

Before covid19, the Cyrenians’ depot, operated in partnership with FareShare, was delivering around 50 tonnes of food a month. Across the road, their Community Cook School provided classes to those at-risk of, or with experience of, homelessness, and hosted a series of popular supper clubs to help support the charity.

The impact of the pandemic has placed all communities under increasing pressure, and as a result demand for services has soared. Since March, the depot has quadrupled its output, delivering over 419 tonnes of food to charities and community groups across Central and South East Scotland – approximately ONE MILLION meals worth of food.

The Community Cook School, having been converted into a production kitchen, is cooking roughly 5000 healthy, freezer-ready meals a week, making use of FareShare produce, as well as generous donations from the food industry across the city.

It’s not only the staff at the charity making this remarkable work happen – what makes all this possible is the incredible generosity of volunteers who have pitched in and shared their skills to better support our communities.

From Scottish chef John and others currently on furlough, to local 100-year-old baker Margaret; from long-term volunteer Priscila, to first-year international student Julian – the charity’s quick response has been greatly aided by a wealth of local talent and compassion.

Priscila (above) volunteers 1-2 days a week at the cook school – a place she has gotten to know well over the past year, using her love of cooking and in-depth knowledge of nutrition to ‘give back to the community’ in whatever way she could:

“I started volunteering last year at the supper clubs at the cook school, and when those stopped because of lockdown I immediately wanted to see if there was a way I could help out. You can really see the difference Cyrenians makes.

!I absolutely love cooking and being in the kitchen, and by helping out this way, I can see the real impact that just one individual can make”

Julian is a first-year international student from Zimbabwe at the University of Edinburgh, and was very happy to get involved:

“I started in late March when the pandemic hit – it’s been a great way to give something back, as well as a reason to get out of my room!

“I’ve gotten some other students involved too, some of whom were struggling with feeling contained all day, and they told me that ‘this is the best thing you could have ever done’ to help. Getting outside and helping out is doing us a huge amount of good – the team at the depot are some of the nicest people i’ve ever met, and it’s great to be part of it.”

Ewan Aitken, CEO, said: “The response from across Scotland to this crisis has been both staggering and humbling. Community groups and voluntary organisations have played a key role in Scotland’s response to this crisis, working together and making use of long-standing local connections.

“We have only achieved so much because of those communities and community connections. None of this would have been possible without the compassion and incredible generosity of spirit we’ve seen – I would like to extend a thank you from myself and from everyone at Cyrenians to those communities in all their diversity who have come together in such a difficult period to make sure that people get what they need.”

There are those also who have been unable to leave their home, but determined to make a difference while keeping busy.

Local 100-year old volunteer Margaret has been baking a variety of loaves to include in the deliveries, with support from her local community to get ingredients:

“Baking is helping me keep busy right now, I’m not very mobile so can’t get out and about, but people have been dropping me off flour and sugar which is so lovely. I can’t sew, read or knit right now as I need to see the opticians but they’re all shut. I’ve mainly been baking from memory – I’ve not had any complaints so far so they must be okay!”

Demand for these services has far outstripped anything the charity has ever encountered before, and is likely to continue long-after this pandemic. There is a very high risk of more people being driven into poverty and placed at risk of homelessness by the impact of covid19[1].

More people are faced with restricted incomes, dependents to support, finding it more difficult to pay for essentials like food and housing.

This crisis has shone a light on already-present issues in society. Voluntary groups and charities have played a vital role in the emergency response, and will continue to do so in delivering support while developing long-term solutions to build back better.