Tag: Social Bite

Social Bite launches Festival of Kindness

  • Social Bite lights up major cities encouraging kindness this Christmas
  • Charity aims to provide 300,000 gifts, meals and essential items to people experiencing homelessness this Christmas
  • Christmas trees with donation points installed in five cities, Edinburgh London, Glasgow, Aberdeen, and Dundee, to emphasise that ‘in a world where you can be anything, be kind.’

Social Bite’s Festival of Kindness has launched in five cities across the UK today, expanding on last year’s campaign, in a bid to spread some much-needed festive goodwill and kindness.

The charity is asking people in Edinburgh, London, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Dundee to donate meals, gifts, essential items and accommodation to those who need it most this Christmas.

Through the campaign, Social Bite has set a target of providing 300,000 meals and essential items of the winter months to those experiencing homelessness this festive period.

Working alongside local partners, Social Bite has installed five 28ft tall Christmas trees across the country and is asking people to buy one extra gift, drop it under the tree and contribute to a movement of kindness.

Festival of Kindness locations include:

·       St Andrew’s Square, Edinburgh

·       Charing Cross Station, London

·       Vinicombe Street, Glasgow

·       Outside M&S at the Bon Accord centre, Aberdeen

·       City Square, Dundee

The charity has created a gift wish list of the things homeless and vulnerable people need the most – from a warm pair of gloves, a hot water bottle and a torch, to good quality socks and toys for children  living in temporary accommodation to open on Christmas morning.

Passers-by can drop their gifts at the trees and take in the Christmas lights, meet Santa in Edinburgh and hear more about Social Bite’s ambitions from volunteers. All gifts will then be distributed by Social Bite’s dedicated team to those who need it most, just in time for Christmas.

Social Bite co-founder and Executive Director, Josh Littlejohn MBE, said: “This Christmas, many of us will be able to reunite with family and friends to celebrate after so many restrictions.

“But for homeless people and families, the pandemic has made their situation particularly desperate. Thousands of people all over the UK will spend Christmas on the streets – cold, hungry and lonely, without a family to go to. Thousands of children will find themselves in temporary emergency accommodation or without food on the table over the festive period. 

 “That’s why we are building on the success of last year’s campaign to expand our reach even further, going from two to five locations and taking Festival of Kindness to London for the very first time.

 “Our Festival of Kindness campaign aims to spread some festive cheer. In a world, where you can be anything, we’re urging people to be kind and buy or donate a little extra to help those who need it most – even the smallest of gifts will make a huge difference.”

Monetary donations can also be made online via the Social Bite website which will then go towards the provision of food, gifts and essential items.

Donations will also help fund accommodation and support for those sleeping rough in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dundee, Aberdeen and London.

Social Bite has a track record of successful fundraising campaigns, having previously hosted ‘Sleep Out’ events in all major Scottish cities, then helped to launch The World’s Big Sleep Out for a global campaign attended by Hollywood A-listers including Dame Helen Mirren and Will Smith in 2019.

Last year’s Festival of Kindness held in Edinburgh and Glasgow raised over £1.5m.

All gifts should be new and unwrapped, with a helpful ‘how-to’ guide on their website.

To find out more or donate, please visit https://festive.social-bite.co.uk/

Social Bite launches Jobs First initiative with UK’s largest employers

New UK-wide programme launched to help people experiencing homelessness into employment

Social Bite has launched a pioneering initiative to help revolutionise the access people who have experienced homelessness have to job opportunities across the UK.

Through its new Jobs First programme, Social Bite will work directly with some of the UK’s biggest employers to help breakdown the barriers people who have been homeless face on their route to employment

To date, businesses including BaxterStorey, Mitchells & Butlers, Andron FM, have signed up with a plan to help create a target of 60 employment opportunities for people experiencing homelessness. The program is being part funded through a grant from the Oak Foundation.

The initiative, which guarantees living wage employment for each person, will provide wrap around support for both the employer and employee.

Each Jobs First employee will be allocated a support worker from Social Bite who will assist them throughout the programme and their employment contract, meeting weekly to offer practical support on bills and forms, as well as emotional guidance and confidence building to adapt to working life.

Social Bite will provide training to each employer to help them appropriately guide the employee while the support worker will help facilitate appraisal processes and employee progress.

As measures put in place in response to COVID-19 are wound down, it is feared that more people will experience homelessness with latest statistics released by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) showing that many of these measures helped to reduce and prevent homelessness.

Data in London shows that between April and June this year, the number of people sleeping on the streets increased by 25 per cent, making Social Bite’s Jobs First initiative even more timely. Firms across the UK are also sounding the alarm over staff shortages, with Britain’s worst labour shortage in decades putting economic recovery from lockdown at risk.

George Watson kickstarted the programme today, taking on his role with hospitality provider BaxterStorey who supply Royal Bank’s Gogarburn headquarters in Edinburgh where Social Bite recently opened a café.

Josh Littlejohn MBE, CEO and Co-Founder of Social Bite, said: “Social Bite started life nine years ago by offering jobs in a small café to people who had experienced homelessness and over that time we have seen the power of employment to change lives.

“Too often, the response to people experiencing homelessness is to ‘get a job’ – however, it’s not that easy. Proactive employers stepping out of their comfort zone to provide chances for those who would otherwise be excluded and a wraparound support alongside the job are the solutions.

“That’s why the Jobs First programme is so important. We will match people who are excluded from the jobs market with some of the UK’s largest employers.

“The wrap around support we will provide will help both employers and employees enjoy a fruitful working partnership. At a time when the UK is facing a serious labour shortage, we are incredibly proud to be partnering with major employers to deliver a program of scale throughout the UK that can act as a blueprint for how we can provide employment opportunities for homeless and marginalised people.”

Over the past four years, Social Bite has supported 34 people into employment from a background of homelessness and in total, one quarter of its workforce has experienced homelessness.

Of the 34, many have moved into employment roles with other companies, some into higher education and in many cases, they have developed careers within Social Bite. These learnings have formed the basis for rolling out Jobs First across the UK.

Operations Manager, Caroline Bacigalupo at BaxterStorey, said: “Jobs First is a fantastic programme and we’re proud to be working with Social Bite to offer training and employment opportunities to people who were previously homeless.

“We’re all thrilled to welcome George on board and can’t wait to support other Jobs First employees reach their full potential as the programme develops.”

George Watson said: “Social Bite has been like my family for the past seven years. I am really excited to start my job role with BaxterStorey. I am grateful for the Jobs First programme and hope it will help many others into employment.”

Get Active! NEAT community events to enjoy this weekend

North Edinburgh Active Travel Network are hosting a number of events this weekend to promote active travel.

See poster for more information – we hope you find an activity to take part in.

North Edinburgh Arts are hosting a Dr Bike Session on Saturday either in MacMillan Square or in the Shed if the weather is poor.

We hope to see you at one of these events!

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.

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.

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

Elior teams up with Social Bite for Glitterfest initiative

Christmas spirit arrives early this year for Social Bite

Leading contract caterer Elior UK has teamed up with client Scottish Rugby for a Christmas campaign that will donate one hot meal for every party booking received for its renowned Glitterfest events. 

In total around 3,000 meals will be donated to the vulnerable in the local community during the month of December.

The meals will be provided through Social Bite – the Edinburgh-based organisation that distributes food and hot drinks throughout the year to people experiencing homelessness and food poverty. 

Founded in 2012 as a sandwich shop operating as a social business, and supported by well-known names such as Prince Harry, George Clooney and Leonardo di Caprio, Social Bite is on a mission to end homelessness through pioneering employment, food and housing initiatives.

Since the start of 2021 they have provided over 180,000 food packs and essential items to people in need; and exist to ensure everyone has a safe place to call home.

Craig Stewart, Regional Managing Director, Elior, says: “After the disappointment of having to cancel our popular annual Glitterfest Parties last year due to Covid, we are delighted that this year’s festive offer will not only give revellers a wonderful night to remember, but at the same time we will be distributing around 3000 free, hot meals to people in the local community for whom this time of year can be particularly difficult.

“Keeping people at the heart of everything we do is of the upmost importance to us and with our strong ties to the community, we are determined to support in any way that we can!”

Josh Littlejohn MBE, Social Bite co-Founder, says: “We are delighted to partner with Elior on this excellent initiative as part of our Festival of Kindness campaign. It’s great news that, by having fun at BT Murrayfield, locals will, in effect, be helping other local people in the community who will be struggling at Christmas. 

“It is through the generosity of organisations like Elior and Scottish Rugby that we are able to make it that little bit brighter for so many vulnerable people who would otherwise go without.”

Not forgetting the inspiring work of the NHS and key workers, Elior has also pledged 50 free places for them at Glitterfest Party Nights at BT Murrayfield.

From Saturday 27 November until Sunday 19 December the Glitterfest Party Nights will, as ever, be hosted by local radio presenter Boogie – aka Andy Bouglas – who will entertain throughout the evening from pre-dinner drinks through to the three-course festive meal, games, prize giveaways and dancing.

Elior will once again be providing the mouth-watering array of food on 31 December when Murrayfield hosts a spectacular Hogmanay party that promises to see in 2022 with a bang.

Standard tickets start from just £39pp with VIP tickets costing an extra £15pp. For further details and to book tickets, visit www.glitterfest.co.uk. 

  Alternatively, phone 0131 346 5250 or email sparkle@murrayfieldexperience.com.  

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.”

Singh 4 Your Supper!

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