homelessness – Page 10 – The NEN

Cyrenians’ Keeping Families Together project advisory board holds first meeting

Cyrenians Keeping Families Together with Cashback for Communities project works alongside Scotland’s secure centres to support children to escape the cycle of homelessness and residential care. The first cross-sector advisory board meeting was held yesterday.

The Promise Scotland, published in February 2020, is responsible for driving the work of change demanded by the findings of the Independent Care Review and sets out an ambition for Scotland ‘to be the best place in the world to grow up’ so that children are ‘loved, safe and respected, able to realise their full potential’.

However, at any one time in Scotland, up to 84 children can be in secure accommodation. The aim of such secure care centres is ‘to provide intensive support and safe boundaries to help these highly vulnerable children re-engage and move forward positively in their communities’.

Yesterday, experts from across the sector, including Cyrenians, The Centre for Youth and Criminal Justice, Scottish Government, Aid and Abet, Police Scotland Violence Reduction Unit, University of Strathclyde, East Lothian Council, the Care Inspectorate and Good Shepherd Centre joined the first ever Keeping Families Together Advisory Board meeting to share best practice and ensure whole family support for those currently residing in Scotland’s secure centres, to help #KeepThePromise.

The focus of the ‘Keeping Families Together’ Project is to support children and their families to rebuild relationships and return to the family home where possible.

Family contact has been highlighted as a specific area where more attention is needed for those in secure care and without support, the issues affecting families and children – whether the impact of earlier ACEs (adverse childhood experiences), low income and related stresses – can be left unchecked.

Communication can break down, and relationships can fracture, with devastating consequences for the child and the wider community.

Kerry Watson, Service Manager at Cyrenians, said “At what can only be an enormously stressful and difficult period in a child’s life, it is only right that both the child and the rest of the family receive the support they need to maintain those relationships, and for the child, where possible, to return home with a positive route forward.

“Bringing together experts from across the sector ensures that we are able to provide whole family support, meaning that any decisions made are in the best interest of the child, including returning home.”

Dr Cara Jardine Chair of Keeping Families Together Advisory Group added: “The past year has added additional pressures with COVID impacting on family’s ability to visit and stay connected.

“It is imperative that as restrictions ease we focus on providing meaningful support that ensures the rights of the children we support are upheld and advocated for. By putting the child’s needs at the centre of any decision making process we will be able to break the cycle of inter-generational trauma, homelessness and disadvantage, ensuring more positive outcomes for all.”

To find out more about Keeping Families Together, visit www.cyrenians.scot

Thorntons Solicitors join Sir Chris Hoy and Social Bite to Break the Cycle of homelessness

Colleagues from leading Scottish law firm Thorntons took part in the organised cycle from Glasgow to Edinburgh on Sunday to raise funds for Social Bite’s new villages, which will house and provide support to people affected by homelessness.

Olympic hero Sir Chris Hoy backed the ‘Break the Cycle’ campaign to raise £1 million to help fund two new villages in Glasgow and London. Sir Chris also cycled the 60-mile route from Glasgow to Edinburgh, with Thorntons associates Joanne Clancy and Neil Falconer saddling up for the cause. Fellow legal director Sue Arrowsmith Rodgers also took part in the challenge virtually by walking, cycling and horse riding.

Social Bite has already built a village and community in Edinburgh to support up to 20 people affected by homelessness at any one time. The purpose of the project is to use vacant land to build a village with beautiful prefabricated housing and a community hub. They also provide tailored support, skill-building and opportunities that enable residents to move on from their situation of homelessness and hopefully sustain their own tenancies and build positive lives for themselves.

Joanne Clancy, a personal injury associate based in Thorntons’ Edinburgh office, said: ”We’re very proud to have completed the 60-mile journey and more importantly raise money and awareness for this amazing project.

“The Social Bite villages will make an immeasurable impact on the lives of so many in our communities, and it was an honour to cycle alongside Sir Chris Hoy!”

The cycle started at the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome in Glasgow and finished 60 miles later in Edinburgh at the proposed site of the new village.

10% of funds raised from the event will also be donated to SAMH, the Scottish Association for Mental Health and further funds will be invested in Social Bite’s mission to Break the Cycle of homelessness by providing food, employment opportunities and housing projects.

Sir Chris Hoy joins hundreds of cyclists to ‘Break the Cycle’

Sir Chris Hoy led the way today as he joined hundreds of other cyclists on a charity cycle from Glasgow to Edinburgh to raise money to help build two new villages for people experiencing homelessness.

The Olympic legend completed the 60-mile route to support Social Bite’s ‘Break the Cycle’ campaign which has so far raised over £700,000 as it aims to fund the creation of two new Social Bite Villages in Glasgow and London.

The cyclists set off from the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome and pedalled through to the finish line in Edinburgh, near the Social Bite Village in Granton on Sunday 5 September.

Each of the participating cyclists fundraised since the campaign launched earlier this year, with entrants having access to a host of special prizes, including naming a house at one of the new villages and a signed medal from Sir Chris.

Amongst the 540 participants was former Scotland Rugby player, John Barclay, as well as residents and staff from the Social Bite Village in Edinburgh.

TV fitness guru, Mr Motivator, was also on hand to warm the cyclists up on the start line and welcome them over the finish line at the end of their journey.

Josh Littlejohn MBE, CEO and Co-Founder of Social Bite, who also completed the cycle, said: “It’s fantastic to have the opportunity to cycle alongside a sporting hero like Sir Chris and the hundreds of other passionate supporters that completed the route alongside us.

“Having so many people support the cause is incredibly humbling and Sir Chris’ backing of this campaign has been a major boost in our efforts to raise money for two new villages for people in a situation of homelessness.

“We’re working very hard behind the scenes on the plans for two further Social Bite Villages in not just London and Glasgow but other major cities as well, and the money from Break the Cycle will help turn these plans into a reality. We’re all very grateful to all of our supporters and partners who have helped push the campaign forward.”

As well as the charity cycle, the fundraising campaign has been open to all levels of fitness and ability, with people across the UK taking part in virtual challenges since March to raise money.

Challenges have ranged from long distance challenges, through to different exercise routines depending on what suited people best.

Sir Chris Hoy said: “I’ve been a huge supporter of Social Bite and the incredible work it does for a number of years now.

“I’ve seen the positive impact the charity has on so many people’s lives and I’m really thankful to everyone who has been able to support the Break the Cycle campaign so far.

“It was fantastic to meet all the other cyclists and join them for the ride which will make such a difference to the lives of people experiencing homelessness.”

Since opening in July 2018, Social Bite’s Edinburgh village in partnership with Cyrenians has helped 43 people find their feet again, 100% of the residents in a recent survey preferred living at the Social Bite Village over Hostels or B&Bs.

The village offers a supportive community to help people build an independent life, with the village blueprint offering an alternative to how society responds to homelessness.

Money raised from the Break the Cycle campaign will go towards creating the two highly supported communities with the pro bono help of engineering firm Arup.

To find our more or donate, please visit: breakthecycle.co.uk

Tory MSP urges Scottish Government to do more to prevent homelessness in Edinburgh

Lothian Conservative MSP Miles Briggs has called on SNP and Green Minister to do more to support Edinburgh Council in preventing homelessness.

Yesterday the city council’s Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Committee met to discuss challenges facing the capital.

Councillors raised concerns that the number of people presenting as homeless would rise over the next few months. Between 1^st April 2020 and 30 June 2021, 2,550 people presented to the Council as homeless.

The number of household in temporary accommodation increased from 3,570 in March 2020 to 4,431 in March 2021, an increase of 24%.

Mr Briggs has also supported calls for tenants to contact Edinburgh Council if they are having trouble paying their rent to help resolve the issue sooner rather than later.

The pledge to end homelessness across Scotland by the end of this Parliament has received cross party support, with Lothian MSP Miles Briggs going even further, calling for homelessness to be ended by 2023.

Lothian MSP, Miles Briggs, said: “If we are going to end homelessness in Scotland then the first step is to prevent people becoming homeless.

“Charities, such as Crisis, do excellent work to stop people becoming homeless, by working with Private landlords and Edinburgh Council.

“In Edinburgh we face unique challenges to preventing homelessness and SNP/ Green Ministers are not providing enough support to prevent people from becoming homeless.

“I will be meeting with the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Housing and Local Government later this month to discuss these issues in greater detail.”

Dog owners experiencing homelessness given vital lifeline by charity partnership

A year-long partnership between the UK’s largest dog welfare charity Dogs Trust and leading homelessness charity Simon Community Scotland, has successfully increased accommodation and support options for dog owners experiencing homelessness in Scotland.

Through engagement with homelessness service providers in Scotland, a total of 30 have signed up since the launch of the project to develop dog-friendly policies and begin accepting referrals from dog-owners.

This includes three charities that have developed a charity wide pet-policy, and the project continues to support their services across the country to welcome pet owners. Launched in September 2020, the jointly funded role between the two charities was developed to ensure that fewer dog owners in Scotland have to make the heart-breaking choice between a safe place to sleep or staying with their dog.

The findings from Dogs Trust and Simon Community Scotland’s partnership highlighted that a lack of pet-friendly policies in homelessness accommodation services is a significant problem for those facing homelessness.

The charities’ joint dedicated, 1-year Pets and Housing Project has been working with homelessness organisations across Scotland to provide tailored support so they can remove barriers and open their doors to dog owners through the ‘Welcoming Dogs’ scheme operated by Dogs Trust.

One person who has benefitted from the work of the project is Damon, who became homeless when the only hostel space he was offered wouldn’t accept dogs. He feared he would need to give his dog up. Damon describes how Odan saved his life.

Damon said: “I needed a reason to get out of bed in the morning, I was losing grip on life and I didn’t want to live anymore. Odan has been an absolute godsend to me, and he has completely changed my outlook on life. Odan gives me the energy I needed to push forward with my life, he has given me something to fight for.

“It means everything to be with Odan. I wish I had the words to express how it feels. Dogs pick up from us how we are feeling, and they know if we’re not happy. The reason that Odan settled, is because I am settled here. It has made a big difference to us to be made to feel so welcomed. “

With support from Simon Community Scotland and Dogs Trust, Damon was able stay with Odan thanks to the local authority arranging pet-friendly emergency accommodation for them. Damon and Odan have since moved into their own tenancy together.

Cat Birt, Pets and Housing Engagement and Development Officer, who leads on the Pets and Housing Project, said: “I’m really proud of everything that has been achieved over the last year, despite the challenges we have faced as a result of the pandemic, and it has been great to see first-hand how our work has impacted people’s lives.

“For people facing homelessness, they are more likely to be isolated and detached from society and their pet can be the most loving and consistent relationship they have. We are a nation of dog lovers, and know how pets enrich our lives, so it is vitally important homelessness services recognise the importance of the human animal bond and make changes to their policies, so they provide a service inclusive of pet owners.

“Thanks to the commitments we have already had by organisations in Scotland to become more pet-friendly, we know our approach is working, but there is more to be done. Thankfully, there is an opportunity for us to roll this project out more widely across the UK and help even more dog owners in need.”

Hugh Hill, Director of Services and Development at Simon Community Scotland, said: ‘’At the heart of the project was recognising the incredibly positive bond between a dog and their human and the positive difference it made for people at their lowest ebb.

“The impact of Covid-19 has been challenging but what it did do was really highlight the importance of positive, meaningful and loving relationships in all our lives and for the people we support they often only experienced that connection with their dog. Every one of our services is dog-friendly and we will continue to share our approach and resources to any organisation looking to welcome our furry friends.’’

A comprehensive report covering the Pets and Housing Project between Dogs Trust and Simon Community Scotland, has been compiled which highlights the progress made over the last year along with findings and recommendations to help ensure that people and their pets can continue to stay together. The full report is available by clicking here.

Dogs Trust will be building on the amazing progress of this project with two new regional roles dedicated to increasing accommodation and support options for dog owners experiencing homelessness and is calling on more homelessness services across Great Britain to adopt a pet-friendly approach. Dogs Trust can support services through their Welcoming Dogs scheme, providing tailored advice and resources on accepting and managing dogs in a safe and responsible way, as well as through the Hope Project veterinary scheme which provides free veterinary treatment.

For more information about the Hope Project, or to enquire about accessing their support, you can reach the team on 020 7833 7611 or by email hopeproject@dogstrust.org.uk.

PureGym partners with Social Bite to break the cycle of homelessness

• Led by PureGym Ambassador Sir Chris Hoy, PureGym is partnering with the Scotland-based charity Social Bite, which aims to raise £1 million to break the cycle of homelessness

• Social Bite’s Break the Cycle fundraising campaign includes a 60-mile cycle from Glasgow to Edinburgh on Sunday 5th September 2021 as well as a number of other physical challenges.

PureGym, the UK’s leading gym operator, is proud to be partnering with Social Bite, a Scotland-based charity that aims to end homelessness through pioneering employment, food, and housing initiatives, on its Break the Cycle campaign.

Led by 6x Olympic champion and PureGym Ambassador, Sir Chris Hoy, PureGym’s Scottish gym staff and members will undertake a number of physical challenges to help Social Bite fundraise £1 million to build two new villages – and they need your help!

Homelessness is a growing problem in the UK and the current provision of temporary accommodation like hostels and B&Bs does not provide suitable, supportive, or cost-effective environments to enable people to escape the cycle of homelessness. Social Bite’s solution is to bring vacant land back into use by creating community villages with prefabricated housing and a community hub.

The charity also invests in providing tailored support to upskill residents and provide them with opportunities that enable them to sustain their own secure tenancies.

The first Social Bite Village was launched in Granton in 2018 and the charity has recently launched a campaign, in partnership with PureGym and Sir Chris Hoy, to help build two more Social Bite Villages, which are planned to be in Glasgow and London. PureGym will be supporting Social Bite’s Break The Cycle fundraising campaign in three key ways:

• Setting off from the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome in Glasgow, supporters will cycle a challenging 60-mile route with Sir Chris Hoy across Scotland’s central belt, crossing the finish line in Edinburgh – near to the flagship Social Bite Village in Granton. PureGym has built a team of riders from across all of its Scottish gyms and is encouraging anybody to sign up to join the team with an exclusive discount code^[1].

• Supporters can take part in 60-minute charity spin classes every Thursday throughout August in PureGym’s Scottish clubs^[2].

• PureGym will be hosting a continuous 24 hour ‘spinathon’ on Wednesday 25 August, involving gym staff in three of PureGym’s Scottish clubs^[3].

For anyone not in Scotland, supporters can join the official Break the Cycle virtual challenge or do a virtual challenge of their choice. Whether it’s being sponsored for 60 miles or 60 minutes of exercise it doesn’t matter – all of the money raised will contribute to Social Bite’s efforts to break the cycle of homelessness.

Sir Chris Hoy, PureGym Ambassador and Scotland’s 6x Olympic champion, said: “The pandemic has exacerbated the already severe problem of homelessness across the UK, whilst also demonstrating the importance of exercise in protecting the nation’s physical and mental wellbeing.

“I can’t think of a better charitable campaign to support than Social Bite’s Break the Cycle campaign, which will raise funds to help rebuild people’s lives, whilst also improving the health and fitness of the nation. We are looking for people across the UK to join in the fight, whether you’re cycling 60 miles or doing 60 minutes of exercise at home you can help us to break the cycle of homelessness.”

Josh Littlejohn MBE, Social Bite co-Founder, said: “We are really excited to be teaming up with PureGym. The amazing support of their clubs, colleagues and members will help make two new Social Bite Villages a reality.

“Since opening the first Village in Edinburgh, 39 people have been helped with a home and support through the project.

“The money we raise from our Break the Cycle fundraising campaign will enable us to develop communities that will have a transformative impact on people’s lives in two more cities.

We’re so grateful to everyone taking on a challenge – every effort you make and every penny you raise will be helping someone break the cycle of homelessness. Thank you.”

Edinburgh charities boosted by Amazon team donations

Edinburgh charities Streetwork and Edinburgh Food Project have welcomed donations totalling £10,000 from Amazon Development Centre Scotland.

Streetwork, a service provided by Simon Community Scotland, has been offering care and guidance to those who are experiencing homeless or at risk of homelessness in Edinburgh for 25 years.

The charity provides expert advice and compassionate support, working to connect people to the services they need. The mission of the charity is to enable a life off the streets, showing dignity and respect to everyone.

The charity works with City of Edinburgh Council, so staff have direct links to accommodation that is available immediately. The charity also offers a 24-hour freephone line that provides information for anyone who needs it.

Edinburgh Food Project operates eight foodbanks across the northwest, central and east of Edinburgh. The charity also offers a range of support to people including housing and benefits advice, a money advice service and a mental health and wellbeing project.

Edinburgh Food Project’s mission is to provide emergency support to people in crisis whilst also addressing the underlying causes of food poverty.

Commenting on the donation, Graeme Smith, Managing Director at Amazon Development Centre Scotland, said: “We are pleased to support Streetwork and Edinburgh Food Project with these donations.

“We understand how difficult the last year has been for people at risk of hunger and homelessness and these charities have gone above and beyond to support the Edinburgh community.”

Lorraine McGrath, Chief Executive, with Simon Community Scotland added: “We want to say a big thank you to the Amazon team for this donation. It means a lot to us to have this support at this time.

“COVID-19 has had a huge impact on the community and the demand for our services have rocketed. This donation will give our staff and volunteers a boost so we can continue to help those experiencing the most extreme impacts of homelessness including rough sleeping in Edinburgh.”

Angus Robertson, MSP for Edinburgh Central, said: “I welcome Amazon’s donation to Streetwork and Edinburgh Food Project, two important charities making a positive impact in the city.”

Amazon Development Centre Scotland has been based in Edinburgh since 2004 and is responsible for devising and growing innovations that bring new levels of choice and convenience to hundreds of millions of customers around the world.

It houses teams of leading engineers, scientists, designers and product managers who work on everything from interactive user interface design to large-scale distributed systems and machine learning.

Community donations are one of a number of ways in which Amazon is supporting communities across the UK during COVID-19.

Throughout the pandemic Amazon has provided disadvantaged students with free online STEM resources and supported virtual classrooms with no-cost resources from AWS and Amazon Future Engineer.

The company has also teamed up with charity partner Magic Breakfast to deliver more than four million healthy breakfasts to children at risk of hunger in disadvantaged areas around the UK.

For more information on how Amazon is supporting the UK during COVID-19, click here.

Government announces increased funding for affordable homes

Scotland’s councils are to share more than £3.2 billion in grant funding over five years to deliver more affordable homes.

Local authorities will benefit from an increase of more than £541 million on the previous five year allocation – an uplift of more than 20%.

Housing Secretary Shona Robison said: “We have already delivered more than 102,000 affordable homes since 2007. Building on this, our aim is to deliver 100,000 affordable homes by 2032, with at least 70% of these for social rent.

“Meeting this ambition will require continued collaboration across the private and public sectors. I’m pleased to be increasing significantly the available affordable housing grant funding for council areas to help with this important work.

“The five-year allocations will provide the certainty and assurance the housing sector needs to deliver the ambitious affordable homes target set out in our Housing to 2040 strategy.”

COSLA Resources spokesperson Councillor Gail Macgregor said: “We welcome the Scottish Government’s commitment to contributing to the cost of affordable housing in Scotland. The priority for councils, and housing associations, is ensuring rent affordability and warm, safe, comfortable homes for current and future tenants.

“As we look to recover from the impacts of the pandemic, councils are working side by side with their communities. We maintain a focus on our shared ambitions around tackling child poverty and climate change, alongside building more houses.”

The City of Edinburgh Council also welcomes the announcement from Scottish Government on a five-year funding package for local authorities and housing associations in Scotland to deliver new affordable homes.

Over the next five years Edinburgh will receive £233.8m grant funding from a pot of more than £3.2 billion announced today which will be shared across all Scottish council areas.

Edinburgh is one of the most pressured housing markets in the country and needs more affordable homes to meet the needs of its growing population.

City of Edinburgh Council’s Convener for Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work, Councillor Kate Campbell said: “This announcement of £233.8m funding for housing in Edinburgh from the Scottish Government over the next five years is hugely welcome. Having certainty over future funding puts us in a strong position to continue building that pipeline of social and affordable homes that we so desperately need.

“This will allow us to plan ahead and acquire sites, design and develop new homes and appoint contractors. And not only do we have certainty, we also have an increase of almost £44m from our baseline allocation over the last five years.

“Having recently met with the Cabinet Secretary to set out the challenges in Edinburgh, and the further investment we need, this is a positive response.

“We’ve also consistently received in-year allocations of extra funding when other local authorities have had underspends in their grant. Over the last five years this has amounted to about £40m. Our aim is to continue making the case for any future underspends to come to Edinburgh by making sure that we continue our strong track record on delivery of homes.

“And, because the need for permanent, secure and affordable housing in our city is so great, we’ll also continue to make the case for additional funding for Edinburgh from the national housing budget. But having certainty for the next five years, and an increase in funding, puts us in a fantastic position just now, and gives us a really strong platform to build from.”

Vice Convener for Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work, Councillor Mandy Watt, said: “We have ambitious plans to grow the number of homes we own, which we’ll do by purchasing homes and by building homes through our own housing development programme.

“Alongside this, we’ve got to find ways to deliver more affordable housing through our planning policies. Currently, the minimum amount of land for affordable homes is 25% of any major development. We are proposing that the minimum allocation is increased to 35%.

“As a Council, we’re committed to ending poverty and becoming more sustainable. Our house building programme will make a major contribution towards achieving that.”

Scottish Ensemble & Social Bite serve up Sound Bites

Scottish Ensemble (SE) and Social Bite are teaming up this summer to spread the joy of shared food and live music with new collaboration Sound Bites.

Based on the notion that these simple pleasures are at the heart of peoples’ lives as social beings, Sound Bites connects the worlds of food and music with a themed picnic box available for audience members to enjoy during upcoming performances as part of month-long outdoor festival Live at No.40.

Scottish Ensemble will bring to life Vivaldi’s iconic masterpiece, The Four Seasons, as audiences enjoy a bespoke picnic of handmade goodies sprinkled with a touch of the Four Seasons by Scottish charity and social enterprise Social Bite. Each picnic basket will contain a duo of tasty baguettes with two different fillings, and depending on dietary preference, a selection of pies, frittatas, sausage rolls, salads and even some of Social Bite’s famous brownie bites.

In solidarity with the Social Bite cause to end homelessness and in keeping with its reputation for thinking outside the (picnic) box, 10% of ticket sales for Scottish Ensemble performances are being donated to Social Bite and its work helping and supporting some of the most vulnerable individuals and communities across Scotland and the UK.

Taking place from the 3 July to 1 August 2021, Live at No.40. will unfold at Scottish Opera’s Production Studio car park at 40 Edington Street, Glasgow. Joined by Scottish Opera and Citizens Theatre in a specially created outdoor theatre, Scottish Ensemble will perform four concerts over two days, accompanied by Scottish charity and social enterprise Social Bite.

At a time when the country is cautiously celebrating new beginnings, Vivaldi’s works of art speaks poignantly to disruption and the inevitability of change with piercing precision. By bringing audiences together, not only for possible the first live performance in over a year, but to ‘break bread’ with fellow music lovers, friends and family, SE and Social Bite mark an important milestone during a turbulent time.

William Norris, Interim Chief Executive at Scottish Ensemble, said: “One of the things we’ve all missed in the last year has been sharing. Sharing time with friends. Sharing experiences. Sharing food. Sharing music.

“Our Sound Bites performances of Vivaldi’s ever-green Four Seasons promise to provide all of the above, but also share a portion of everyone’s ticket purchase with our partners in this project, Social Bite, who do incredibly important work in tackling homelessness.

“We’re really excited to be partnering with them on this project which marks our return to live performance in a characteristically different way.”

Co-founder and CEO of Social Bite, Josh LittleJohn MBE said: “This collaboration will not only be a brilliant celebration of enjoying food, drink and music together, something we’ve all missed over the past year, it’s also an opportunity to bring about real positive change.

“This fantastic event will deliver funding to our innovative programmes that support people out of homelessness and help them to build independent lives.

“We hope everyone who joins us at Sound Bites enjoys the performance, along with our delicious picnics – specifically crafted for this event by our talented kitchen staff of which 1/3 have come from a background of homelessness.

Thank you for your support and for joining us in our mission to ensure everyone has a safe place to call home.”

George Heriot’s pupils raise £2,616 by taking part in Invisible Cities’ ‘In Our Shoes’ Challenge

As part of their Poverty Week focus, students kept their shoes on for 48 hours straight to raise awareness around homelessness

George Heriot’s School took part in Invisible Cities’ ‘In Our Shoes’ Challenge: an innovative new challenge introduced by the social enterprise, where pupils are asked to keep their shoes on for 48 hours straight (without removing them at all).

The mission behind the challenge is to help school children to understand more about and discuss some of the issues faced by rough sleepers while on the streets such as podiatry issues, lack of access to adequate shoes, etc.

Zakia  Moulaoui  Guery, CEO and Founder of Invisible Cities said: “We are delighted to say, that through completing this challenge, George Heriots School raised an amazing £2616 which we split with our fellow social enterprise and friends at the Grassmarket Community Project.”

Based right next to the school, Grassmarket Community Project have been a long-standing partner of Invisible Cities and have supported with recruiting new guides and working on collaborative projects together.

Katherine Duncan, Principal Teacher of Curricular Enhancement, explained: “Our Junior School pupils took part in Poverty Awareness Week at the end of March as part of our annual Financial Education focus.

“It created an opportunity for them to learn more about the causes of poverty (both locally and globally) and how poverty impacts on the rights of everyone affected.

“Putting themselves “in the shoes” of rough sleepers not only allowed our pupils to empathise with rough sleepers, but also helped them to make a difference by raising £2616 for Invisible Cities and the Grassmarket Community Project.”

Invisible Cities is a social enterprise that trains people who have previously experienced homelessness to become walking tour guides of their own city in Edinburgh, Glasgow , York and Manchester. 

Zakia  Moulaoui  Guery, CEO and Founder of Invisible Cities, said: ” This challenge was designed to give a different perspective on homelessness and focus on a very practical issue that people can face.

“We are so thankful to the school, teachers and pupils alike for taking part and supporting us with such a generous donation.”

Jonny Kinross, CEO for Grassmarket Community Project, said: “We are delighted to be one of the beneficiaries of George Heriots School’s incredible fundraising effort as part of their poverty awareness week.

“With this donation we will be able to provide practical support, training, access to free IT classes, free IT equipment, free food 5 days a week and one to one support including counselling and therapies to many of the City’s homeless and vulnerable.

“As the lockdown relaxes and we are able to provide one-to-one face to face support this donation will enable us to re-connect to people who are exceptionally vulnerable and isolated – to help them sustain their tenancies, ensure they receive the benefits and support to which they are entitled as well as get the emotional and mental health support they need.

“What an exceptional fundraising initiative and our huge thanks go out to the pupils and their families who got behind and will help us to ensure that no one is left behind in the city’s recovery.”

For more information on Invisible Cities visit https://invisible-cities.org/   