Social Bite launch ‘at home’ boxes with celebrity chef Tony Singh
Homelessness charity, Social Bite, has launched its very first At Home dining box, giving people across the central belt the chance to enjoy delicious, restaurant-quality dishes at home while supporting those who have experienced homelessness.
The Singh 4 Your Supper menu, is in partnership with Scottish celebrity chef and restaurateur, Tony Singh.
The Indian-themed dining box explores a variety of fresh, rich and aromatic flavours and is a delectable feast for two including eight dishes and a selection of sauces.
Priced at just £60, the menu is perfectly portioned for two people, making it ideal for cosy date nights or to enjoy some alfresco dining with friends.
Each box comes with an easy-to-follow preparation, cooking and plating instructions so that you can create great-tasting food from home but food lovers will have to be quick, with only a limited number of boxes available.
Josh Littlejohn MBE, CEO and Co-Founder of Social Bite, said: “It’s been great to work with the incredibly talented Tony Singh to help produce our first ever home dining boxes.
“The menu we’ve created gives people a real taste of India and allows them to enjoy the recommendations of one of the country’s top chefs from the comfort of their own home.
“As the world starts to open back up it’s really important to us that we continue to find new ways for people to support the mission of ending homelessness while also enjoying the easing of restrictions.
“Every box purchased helps us in our mission of providing real jobs, permanent homes and support to help get people back on their feet, as well as the wider mission of ending homelessness.”
Each dish has been lovingly prepared by Tony and the Social Bite team at Social Bite’s Central Kitchen in Livingston.
Chef Tony Singh (above) said: “Social Bite is such an incredible cause so when they asked me to get involved in creating some home dining boxes, it was an easy yes.
“My passion is creating delicious, high-quality food, that can be shared together. But what makes these boxes even more special, is that these will be helping to support Social Bite’s mission of ending homelessness.”
To get your hands on this limited-edition box, you can order online from today – Thursday 22nd April. Boxes can be collected from Social Bite Cafes in Edinburgh and Glasgow city centre, as well as their Central Kitchen in Livingston on the 7th and 8th of May.
The Singh for Your Supper menu includes four main dishes: Kerala King Prawn, Butter Chicken, Aloo Chole and Gulab Jamun for dessert along with four sides: Spiced Fur Fur, Paratha, Jeera Pilau Rice and spiced onions with a selection of sauces; mango, mint, yoghurt and tamarind.
These are all the dishes that Tony would usually cook at home for his family so you can dine like a chef and eat like a Singh!
To order your own home dining box or to find out more information, please visit: shop.social-bite.co.uk/singh
To celebrate 5 years of Invisible Cities, the team areinvitingall supporters, friends, partners and customers to take part in a virtualmile-coveringchallenge, whilstraising vital funds for their social enterprise
Invisible Cities, the social enterprise operating in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Manchester and York, trains people who have previously experienced homelessness to become walking tour guides of their own city.
The social enterprise is now inviting supporters, friends, customers and partners to take part in a virtual mile-covering challenge, to celebrate Invisible Cities turning 5.
From April – July there are 4 legs (one per month) that collectively make-up 500 miles as participants virtually move between Invisible Cities locations. Participants are invited to sign up for one leg, or all 4 and the challenge is to complete the number of miles required for that leg, within the month.
Each leg varies in distance, so there’s something for everyone, from absolute beginners to fitness enthusiasts alike. The challenge can also be enjoyed as individual or in teams of up to 6, to reach the target miles. People can also choose between walking, running, cycling and swimming when it comes to how they decide to cover the mile target.
The purpose of Invisible Cities’ virtual fundraiser is to connect individuals with other like-minded people all over the UK to raise money for those affected by homelessness.
Zakia Moulaoui Guery, Founder & CEO of Invisible Cities said: “After a full year of being stuck indoors, getting outside to exercise is more important for our mental health than ever before.
“As COVID-19 has had a huge impact on homelessness, we thought we’d combine the benefits of outdoor activity with the effort to help support those experiencing homelessness through the pandemic. We really don’t think we could have found a better way to celebrate our 5th birthday!”
To be part of the latest Invisible Cities initiative participants simply need to fill the form which can be found on the social enterprise’s official website, pay the £10 entry (100% of which will support their work to help combat homelessness) and all details for the challenge will then be emailed directly to them.
As part of the initiative, Invisible Cities will also set up a personal Go Fund Me account for all ‘challengers’ to share and collect sponsorship and much-needed encouragement from friends and family, and the team will share fun updates about history and homelessness organisations depending on the point reached on the virtual journey.
They will also receive access to the official Invisible Cities Strava group to track miles and become part of their community as well as receiving virtual updates showing where they are on their journey.
For more information and to register for the virtual miles-covering challenge visit:
Social Bite announce plans to build two new Villages, with target sites in Glasgow and London
Olympic hero backing “Break the Cycle” campaign to raise £1m to help fund two new villages, Sir Chris will cycle 60-mile route from Glasgow to Edinburgh with 1,000 fellow riders to raise money for the cause
Edinburgh Village project has helped 39 people since July 2018 with 79% saying the village has helped improve their wellbeing
Social Bite, with the support of Sir Chris Hoy, has today announced its latest fundraising campaign Break the Cycle – a 60 mile charity bike ride which aims to raise £1m to help build Social Bite Villages in two new UK cities, with target locations in Glasgow and London.
The Break the Cycle event will take place on Sunday 5th September, with Sir Chris joining 1,000 fellow cyclists as they set off from the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome in Glasgow and pedal the 60 miles through to the finish line in Edinburgh, near the flagship Social Bite village in Granton.
Each participant will be asked to raise £1,000 in order to take part and ride alongside the six-time Olympic Champion, contributing to the overall fundraising target. All entrants will also have access to some incredible prizes, from naming a house at one of the villages to winning a signed medal from Sir Chris Hoy himself.
As well as the physical event in September, the fundraising campaign is open to all levels of fitness and ability, with people across the UK invited to take part in their own virtual challenges from March to September to raise money and help Social Bite break the cycle of homelessness.
Friends, families, workplace teams and schools are all encouraged to pick a challenge and get sponsored for doing it. Whether it’s a 60-mile challenge or 60 minutes of exercise, the virtual challenge can be designed to fit what suits people best.
Money raised both on event day and in the lead up through virtual challenges will go towards creating the two highly supported communities with the pro bono help of engineering firm Arup.
The communities will offer a supportive community environment and opportunities to help people affected by homelessness build an independent life.
The goal of the Social Bite Villages is to provide a different blueprint for how we, as a society, respond to homelessness and temporary accommodation – one which puts support and the individual at the centre of the approach.
The village concept is supported by Dame Louise Casey, the former Westminster homelessness tsar who led the work with helping 33,000 people into emergency housing during the pandemic.
Since launching in May 2018, the Social Bite Village in partnership with Cyrenians has provided accommodation and support to 39 residents, helping them find their feet and permanent homes. 82% of people who have lived at the Village are either still happily housed there or have moved onto a positive destination.
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.
Josh Littlejohn MBE, CEO and Co-Founder of Social Bite, said:“It’s an honour for us to have one of the country’s biggest sporting heroes support us in our effort to build two new villages for people in a situation of homelessness.
“Sir Chris has been an advocate of the work we do for some time and when we came up with the Break the Cycle concept, we knew there was only one person we wanted to partner with.
“We’re incredibly passionate about our plans for the Social Bite villages. Since opening the first one in Edinburgh, 39 people have been helped with a home and support through the project. Now that we have seen that the model is working, our ambition is to build more in cities across the country and I’m thrilled to announce that this is our intention in London and Glasgow.
“The money we manage to raise from our Break the Cycle fundraising campaign will allow these plans to become a reality and enable us to develop communities that will have a transformative impact on people’s lives. We’re very grateful to all our supporters, including M&G plc who have already signed up as a major partner.”
Sir Chris Hoy said:“I have supported Social Bite by sleeping under the stars each year at their mass participation sleepout events for the last four years. I have seen the impact of the funds raised and I am passionate about supporting the bold approach to breaking the cycle of homelessness.
“I know times have been incredibly tough of late but I’d encourage everyone to get involved and help raise the funds needed for this extraordinary project and take on their own challenges over the coming weeks and months. I look forward to see those taking part at the starting line …”
Steven McKechnie, Director at Arup, said: “Our society can be a challenging place for those who don’t fit neatly into its expectations and norms. Social Bite’s ‘villages’ provide a route into society for some of those people.
“They provide support and shelter and enable the growth of self-worth. They help people to learn how to start growing their roots. They are more than just a room for the night. They are beautiful and homely. They have a sense of place and delight that feeds the soul.
“We, in Arup, are tremendously proud to have been asked to help with this magnificent project. We will be contributing ideas and design thinking and will be connecting with our contacts in local authorities, development firms and public bodies to help to select suitable sites. We hope our contribution will be helpful.”
Jim McBride, Head of Homelessness at Glasgow Council, said: “Glasgow HSCP would welcome early discussions with Social Bite to determine how this innovative approach could contribute to the work the city is undertaking to address homelessness and supporting people who present with complex needs.”
A LEADING homelessness charity is making a concerted effort to completely eliminate rough sleeping in Edinburgh, by providing bikes to its volunteer support teams, so they can see more people in any given period of time.
By Simon Community Scotland’s own estimations, rough sleeping in the capital is at an all-time low, and the charity is replicating a highly successful Street Cycles team model from its base in Glasgow to Edinburgh, after having recruited 12 volunteers to provide support to people at risk of, or currently, rough sleeping.
Help includes connecting people with services such as health and accommodation and providing basic essentials like food, clothing, telephones, sanitary products and, most importantly, showing that someone cares and that no-one should feel they are on their own.
The charity’s fundraising has allowed it to purchase eBikes and the move to add Edinburgh to the Glasgow bike service follows Simon Community Scotland chief executive, Lorraine McGrath, also becoming CEO of well-known Edinburgh homelessness charity, Streetwork.
The eBikes not only allow volunteers to see more people during any given time period but to extend their reach, beyond the city centre. The volunteers, who have all received dedicated training, come from a wide background, including health, law, corporate finance, education and retail.
Training includes the administration of opioid antidote, Naloxone, and also CPR.
The service is officially launching, today: Thursday March 4.
One of the volunteers is Jill Reilly. She first became involved with Streetwork during the COVID-19 lockdown, helping make meals in a hotel used in the city to accommodate people who were homeless.
Jill said: “The Naloxone training is a potential life-saver. But, more generally, getting to know people and to hear their stories, makes me realise why I got involved, as a volunteer, in the first place.
“I like walking, but I think I prefer cycling, and the bikes should allow me to see more people. The main thing, of course, is to help people find secure, if necessary supported, accommodation. When that happens, it feels like a real achievement.”
The charity is seeking to recruit more volunteers plus partners who can provide bike storage and maintenance facilities.
Hugh Hill, director of Services & Development at Simon Community Scotland, said: “Edinburgh has seen a dramatic fall in people rough sleeping in the city.
“Streetwork, along with key Third Sector partners and The City of Edinburgh Council, have worked throughout the pandemic, supporting people into safe accommodation.
“We are determined to see that no-one ever has to sleep on our cities’ streets. Our brand-new cycle outreach service is powered not just by electric motors but, cucially, by our volunteers working hand in glove with Streetwork’s existing street outreach team.”
Ambitious new measures aimed at widening responsibility for homelessness prevention could stop people from losing their homes and make Scotland a world leader in ending homelessness, according to a new report from an independent group of experts.
With at least 8% of the Scottish population (1 in 12 people) having experienced homelessness there is clear need to change the system to stop people from losing their homes in the first place.
The Homelessness Prevention Review Group was set up at the request of Scottish Government and convened by the charity Crisis to take forward the work of the Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Action Group on preventing homelessness.
In its new report, the Group recommends that action to prevent homelessness would start up to six months before someone faces losing their home.
This would mean that public bodies, such as health services, should ask about people’s housing situation to identify any issues at an early stage and act where a problem exists.
They would then work together with housing professionals to ensure that people get help early and do not lose their home unnecessarily. The proposals, if implemented, would ensure that no one leaves an institution, such as prison or hospital, without somewhere to sleep that night.
The Group proposes clarifying the current law and requiring local authorities to take specific steps to prevent homelessness, building on recent developments in Wales and England. This would mean that once again Scotland has the strongest protections in Great Britain for people facing the prospect of homelessness.
The recommendations would mean that people facing homelessness should have greater choice and control in where they live and have access to the same options as other members of the public. They set out protections which must be in place to ensure that an individual’s housing is stable and meets their needs, minimising their future risk of homelessness.
The Group was chaired by Professor Suzanne Fitzpatrick of Heriot-Watt University and was made up of local authority bodies, representatives from the housing and homelessness sectors and health and social care.
It was supported by the Prevention Commission, a group of people with lived and frontline experience of homelessness, whose views shaped the proposals.
Commenting on the report, Housing Minister Kevin Stewart said: “Ending homelessness is a priority for the Scottish Government so I welcome the recommendations in this report, which focuses on the importance of preventing homelessness from happening in the first place.
“The report also highlights the importance of a whole-system, person-centred approach to our goal of preventing homelessness, for example through the work of health, education and justice services.
“This report was developed in consultation with frontline workers and people with lived experience of homelessness as well as so many organisations from across the public and third sector, and I want to thank everyone involved.
“Crisis in particular has provided significant resources to this work and I am grateful for the commitment they have shown. I now look forward to working with COSLA and all our other partners to discuss how we can put these proposals into action.”
Prevention Review Group chair Professor Fitzpatrick said:“While we have strong protections in place to help individuals and families when they are at imminent risk of losing their home, we have laid far less emphasis to date on effective work to prevent homelessness happening in the first place.
“This means it is all too common for someone to reach crisis point before they get the help they need.
“It was this need to act earlier and prevent people from ever having to experience the trauma of homelessness, which drove the work of the Prevention Review Group.
“Our work was guided by three principles: that there should be a collective responsibility across public services to prevent homelessness; that intervention to prevent homelessness should start as soon as possible; and that those at risk of homelessness should have greater choice in where they live and access to the same options as other members of the public.
“The homelessness system should become the safety net it was intended to be rather than a default response to housing problems. The recommendations in this report hold the potential to radically change the face of the homelessness system in Scotland.”
Lisa Punton, Prevention Commission Member, said:“Having worked in the sector for more than 10 years I have become increasingly frustrated with the existing legislative framework. In providing such a strong safety net for people experiencing homelessness something of what we were trying to achieve, which is to prevent it, was lost.
“If we really want to end homelessness those with lived experience must always have a seat at the table. People who have experienced services can tell us how these impact on their lives amid crisis and trauma.”
Cllr Kelly Parry, COSLA Community Wellbeing Spokesperson, said:“The publication of the report from the Prevention Review Group is welcomed, and I am grateful to members of the group and those who have supported its work for their efforts.
“I am particularly grateful to those who contributed their own lived experience of homelessness to inform the work of the group – it is important we keep their voices at the centre of our considerations.
“Local Government is committed to ending homelessness, and fundamental to that is preventing it happening in the first place. We know that the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic have not been felt equally across society – with those who are facing poverty and social inequality most affected.
“The importance of sectors, organisations, and individuals working together is clear, and as we work with our communities to rebuild and recover, we have the opportunity to put the needs of those most at risk at the centre. The recommendations within the report offer insight on how we do this together.
“Local Government will work with Scottish Government over the coming months, to consider the proposals within the report seeking further input and consultation with partners.”
As well as new shared public responsibilities to prevent homelessness, the Group made recommendations in some specific areas:
Where people needing homelessness assistance have complex needs requiring input from multiple services, a case co-ordination approach should be put into place
Health and social care partnerships should co-operate with the local authority to plan for the needs of applicants for homelessness assistance who may have health and social care needs
16 and 17 year olds who are at risk of homelessness should be assisted by children’s services rather than adult services
Recommendations in relation to support for victims of domestic abuse include:
Support and security measures to remain safely in their own home where this is their preference, including access to free legal aid to get an exclusion order
Social landlords should put in place protocols to address housing issues relating to domestic abuse
Collaboration will enable human-centric tours of the city, which will be broadcast in real time by your local Invisible Cities guide
Invisible Cities, the social enterprise that trains people who have previously experienced homelessness to become walking tour guides of their own city in Edinburgh, Manchester, Glasgow and York – has teamed up with Virtualtrips.io to offer LIVE virtual tours of Edinburgh.
Virtualtrips is a dedicated live-streaming platform that offers raw, human-centric tours of interesting places, broadcast in real time by expert locals. With more than 250 tours across 45 locations and counting, people can ‘travel’ together to Venice, explore Yellowstone National Park, and make it back in time to see the coast of Guernsey – all in the same day.
Viewers can enjoy following Virtualtrips’ friendly and knowledgeable guides and engage with them and fellow travellers through interactive chat. All of the tours are currently free to watch, though tips are encouraged (and very much appreciated!)
On average, people have rated the tours 4.7 out of 5 across 15,000 reviews.
Zakia Moulaoui Guery, Founder & CEO of Invisible Cities, said: “The Virtualtrips online platform offers virtual walking tours from around the world and we are really delighted to be joining forces with them.
“We are also hoping to eventually be able to take this partnership further and become a Virtualtrips community partner, but that is for the future!
“In the meantime, our virtual tours of Edinburgh will keep the community engaged, allow us to continue our work, giving a voice to those who have felt invisible and offering some much-needed entertainment for people across the UK and beyond.”
The virtual tours of Edinburgh are also available on Invisible Cities’ very own Zoom platform, making them ideal for teams at work, or families and friends, who wish to discover the city from the comfort of their own home.
Zakia concludes, “We are inviting people to book their preferred date and time via our Invisible Cities website and then they can just log onto zoom on the day.
“Their guide will take them through a journey along the streets of Edinburgh – either on their own or as part of a group tour experience, with others from various households, no matter where they are in the world!”
‘We are putting tackling poverty at the heart of the Budget’ – Social Security Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville
Tackling deep-seated poverty and inequality will be supported by increased funding from the 2021-22 Scottish Budget.
To ensure all children have the best start in life, £68 million will be invested in the Scottish Child Payment, and £53 million will fund universal Free School Meals to all children in primary one, two and three.
Communities impacted by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic will continue to be supported through funds aimed at helping them recover and rebuild.
The 2021-22 Scottish Budget includes:
a near doubling of spending through the Tackling Child Poverty fund with £23.3 million of investment, and providing £6 million to local authorities to continue providing a school clothing grant worth at least £100 to every eligible child
£3.6 billion for social security to carers and those on low incomes
£150 million for fuel poverty and energy efficiency measures
£711.6 million for affordable housing and a new £55 million programme to support town centres
£32 million to promote equality and human rights, including actions to ensure this approach is embedded across government and the wider public sector
£15 million to further support children and young people with Additional Support Needs
more than £26 million of investment in the vital Third Sector
£81.6 million for projects to support community regeneration, town centres and 20 minute neighbourhoods – where people can meet their needs within a 20 minute walk from their home
over £12 million to support the Ending Homelessness Together action plan, including specific actions to scale up Housing First, end the use of communal night shelters, advance legislative protections for people experiencing domestic abuse and explore alternative routes to reduce migrant homelessness
Social Security Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “We are putting tackling poverty at the heart of the Budget. In two weeks we introduce our new game-changing Scottish Child Payment, backed by investment of £68 million.
“As well as mitigating the impact of UK Government welfare cuts, we are supporting carers, young people, and low income families through our range of new benefits. This year also sees the start of the introduction of the first disability benefits as we continue to establish a social security system that is based on dignity and respect and investing in our people.”
Communities Secretary Aileen Campbell (above) said: “In addition to responding to the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic, this budget is investing in actions designed to tackle deep-seated poverty and inequality including almost doubling our child poverty budget to £23.3 million.
“This means we will deliver our £50 million Tackling Child Poverty Fund commitment in full, continuing with investment in actions including our Parental Employability Support Fund, Access to Childcare Fund and innovative Children’s Neighbourhoods Scotland programme.
“Funding for more affordable, greener housing is at the heart of the Scottish Budget, contributing to our net-zero ambitions while helping to ensure everyone has a home that meets their needs.
“We will also invest over £26 million in the local and national Third Sector infrastructure, support the capacity and growth of social enterprises, and ensure the Third Sector can help people and communities recover from the impact of the pandemic.”
Kind Aldi customers have donated over 1000 unused pairs of socks since Boxing Day
Sock Amnesty boxes will remain in store until the end of the month
Aldi is reminding customers that they can help the homeless by donating unwanted and unused socks in store until the end of January.
The supermarket’s ‘Not Socks Again?! campaign launched on Boxing Day and kind Aldi customers and colleagues have already donated over 1000 pairs of new socks to support the work of three homeless charities: Simon Scotland,Aberdeen Cyrenians, and Trust in Fife.
Sock Amnesty boxes will remain in stores across Scotland until the end of January where people can drop off any unused socks they received for Christmas. Aldi is also donating £250 to each charity to further support the vital work they do in the community.
Richard Holloway, Regional Managing Director for Scotland, commented:“A massive thank you to all our customers and colleagues who have donated socks to this campaign so far.
“With one week to go, we wanted to remind people that they can still put any unwanted, new and unused socks to better use and they will find our Sock Amnesty boxes in store until the end of the month.”
This thoughtful initiative builds on Aldi’s commitment to supporting communities across Scotland. Since 2016, Aldi’s Scottish Sports Fund has supported over 458 local clubs with more than £240,000 worth of donations.
Aldi is also Kiltwalk’s official ‘Supermarket Partner’ and in 2019 was responsible for fuelling over 20,000 Kiltwalkers across events in Glasgow, Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh and Dumfries.
Meanwhile, since July 2019 Aldi has helped over 200 charities provide over a million meals to vulnerable people across Scotland through its partnership with community engagement platform, Neighbourly. The supermarket is also set to relaunch its popular Supermarket Sweep programme later this year in support of local foodbanks.
A DIGITAL service, to add to the support available for people in Edinburgh who are homeless, has been developed by researchers and community partners, including leading Scottish homelessness charity, Simon Community Scotland.
The website and an accompanying app – called Street Support Edinburgh – provides advice, support and resources for homeless and vulnerable people, plus the wider Edinburgh community who want to help and emergency services personnel.
Street Support Edinburgh has been developed as part of a project by the University of Edinburgh’s Centre for Homeless Inclusion and Health (CHIH) and the Manchester-based Street Support Network.
Information includes providers of meals, drop-in services, food banks and accommodation.
The digital hub also features advice on financial help, health services and training and employment opportunities.
Organisers say the resource provides a vital service to vulnerable people and the community by providing accessible information in one easy-to-use location.
Advice on Covid-19 and support available during the pandemic has also been added.
The information hub has been launched by the University of Edinburgh and the leading homelessness charity, Simon Community Scotland, which runs the Streetwork service in Edinburgh.
Researchers at the University’s School of Informatics have assisted with technical aspects of the project.
Street Support Edinburgh features content from more than 30 organisations and has been backed by both Police Scotland and The City of Edinburgh Council.
The platform is the first resource of its type in Scotland. Organisers are hoping to offer similar digital provision elsewhere in Scotland.
Dr Fiona Cuthill, director of the Centre for Homelessness and Inclusion Health at the University of Edinburgh, said: “Street Support Edinburgh is a great opportunity for the University of Edinburgh to build on our existing community networks and to work together to help to reduce homelessness in our city.”
The Street Support Network has assisted in the launch of similar Street Support services in several locations in England, such as Portsmouth and Cambridge.
Lorraine McGrath, chief executive, Simon Community Scotland, said: “A year of Covid-19 has been hugely challenging, but it has also forced all of us to rethink how we deliver our services and reach the most vulnerable people on our streets, with some incredible outcomes.
“Lockdown created the opportunity for organisations in Edinburgh to come together and almost eradicate rough sleeping in the city. It has shown us what we can achieve by collaborating, being creative and keeping people at the heart of what we do.
“Street Support Edinburgh is a natural progression for us in connecting the talent, expertise and commitment of people and organisations across the city in preventing homelessness and the need for anyone to ever have to sleep on our streets.”
The app is available to download from the Apple App and Google Play stores.
Colin Beck, chair of the Edinburgh Health and Social Care Partnership at The City of Edinburgh Council, said: “I welcome this innovative way of providing information, which will help people connect.
“Knowing how and where to get help and support is a crucial component of feeling included. I realise there are access issues for some people and we must search for solutions to help people connect.”
