Vittoria Group donates £8k to its local community

Family-run restaurant group has donated £8,000 to local charities and initiatives over an eight month period

A charitable initiative launched by the family-run Vittoria Hospitality Group has donated over £8,000 in its first six months, supporting a range of Edinburgh-based charities and community organisations.

Established in November 2025 as part of the Vittoria Group’s 55th anniversary celebrations, the Giving Back programme supports grassroots organisations making a difference across the capital, helping people living with disabilities, those facing homelessness, and local young people.

Unlike traditional grant programmes, Giving Back focuses on funding specific items requested by organisations, ensuring donations have a direct and lasting impact.

In its first eight months, the initiative has provided vital, targeted support across the city, including specialist technology and sensory equipment provided to young people with complex or additional support needs at Teens+, Prospect Bank School, and Braidburn Special School.

The fund has also delivered essential supplies for women experiencing homelessness via Sparkle Sisters, supported youth development and literacy resources for the Pilmeny Development Trust and Craigmillar Literacy Trust, as well as sponsoring new sports kits for Redpath Albion FC and vital funding for Muirfield Riding Therapy.

In addition to the £8,000 donated by Vittoria Hospitality Group, one of its suppliers, JB Foods Scotland, contributed a further £1,000 in December.

Leandro Crolla, Director of Vittoria Hospitality Group, said: “When we launched Giving Back, we wanted to create something that would make a real difference to local organisations doing incredible work in our communities.

“Seeing the reaction from the charities, schools and groups we’ve supported has shown us how even relatively small donations can have a significant impact when they reach the right people.

“Edinburgh has supported our family and our business for more than 55 years. This programme is our way of saying thank you and helping strengthen the communities that have been part of our story for generations.”

Talking about the donation of a new football kit for the entire team, Bryan Maughan, coach at Redpath Albion FC, said: “The boys and parents loved them. We wore the matchday kits for the first time at Currie, and they certainly brought us luck as we secured a great 6–2 win in monsoon-like conditions.

“The boys haven’t forgotten the offer of a breakfast roll either, and we’re all looking forward to the visit.”

The initiative is led by the Vittoria Hospitality Group, one of Edinburgh’s longest-established family-run hospitality businesses, now in its fourth generation of family ownership. 

Recipients of the donation are chosen through a monthly staff vote, giving employees across the group’s venues the opportunity to nominate and support causes close to their hearts. Schools, charities, youth groups and community organisations across Edinburgh are encouraged to apply for future rounds of support. 

For more information or to nominate a local cause, contact:

givingback@vittoriagroup.co.uk.

Peter Vardy Group “stands in solidarity” with the people of Ukraine

Peter Vardy Group, the Scotland-wide automotive businesses, has raised more than £200,000 for the people of Ukraine. The family-run company, which is headquartered in Motherwell, is donating 10 per cent of its profits in March 2022 to Ukraine.

So far this has seen Peter Vardy Group give £200,000 to The Big Give, a matched donations platform where funds are raised for the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC), an umbrella group of 15 UK aid charities which coordinates and launches emergency fundraising appeals.

Peter Vardy, chief executive of Peter Vardy Group, said the business “stands in solidarity” with the people of Ukraine. “We believe every life is worthy and we are shocked and saddened by the recent events in Ukraine.

“As a Group, we are committed to help support the people affected by the invasion of Ukraine and have redirected our current Giving Back programme to support humanitarian projects there.”

Peter Vardy Group donates 10 per cent of its annual profits to good causes across the UK and internationally, with funds being distributed through the Group’s charity foundation, The Peter Vardy Foundation.

Giving Back is the Group’s community giving programme, with employees from across its 15 dealerships and two offices taking part in regular fund raising and volunteering activities to support the communities within which each operates.

To further support the people of Ukraine, Peter Vardy Group is dedicating its ‘One Child’ programme to the Ukraine appeal for the month of March 2022. For every car sold, Peter Vardy Group donates £15 to One Child and asks customers to match their donation. On average, 7 out of 10 customers match the Peter Vardy donation.

Peter Vardy Group operates across Scotland, with locations in Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Kirkcaldy, Motherwell, and Perth all of which are hosting drop-off points for physical donations which will then be transported to the logistics network taking goods to Ukraine. The dealerships also ran onsite fundraising activities throughout the month of March.

Mr Vardy said: “Our thoughts and prayers are with the people of Ukraine.”