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
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.”
· Royal Bank of Scotland’s Winter Sparkle festive campaign aims to bring cheer to 10,000 people and families this Christmas
· Bank’s charity partner BaxterStorey is distributing 100,000 meals to the country’s most vulnerable as part of the drive
· Businesses and organisations including The Scottish Book Trust, Tesco and Amazon back the drive
· Social Bite, Cyrenians, The Felix Project and Edinburgh Food Project help take the programme to Scotland’s neediest communities
Royal Bank of Scotland has partnered with hospitality provider BaxterStorey and security company G4S, to distribute more than 10,000 shoeboxes full of toys, books, games, food and items of clothing for vulnerable people and families across Scotland, as part of the bank’s Winter Sparkle initiative.
The shoeboxes – which have been packed in a socially distant setting at the bank’s Gogarburn HQ in Edinburgh – are being given to charity partners Social Bite, Cyrenians, The Felix Project and Edinburgh Food Project, to distribute amongst thousands of individuals and families they support across the country.
Catering company BaxterStorey will also prepare and deliver an additional 100,000 cooked meals for vulnerable families in Scotland, thanks to generous donations of fresh produce from a number of the Royal Bank’s agricultural customers.
Other supporters of the project include the Scottish Book Trust, Tesco and Business in the Community, while employees and customers of the bank have been able to purchase items via a bespoke Amazon wish list.
The shoebox initiative is the latest project from the team behind the foodbank distribution centre at Gogarburn. It was set up in March by bank employee, Sheena Hales, in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, to offer charities a space to store large food deliveries. In October, Sheena was awarded a British Empire Medal in recognition of her efforts.
Since opening, the foodbank centre has distributed around 6,000 meals per week, taken in huge donations including 220,000 items of new clothing, and welcomed truckloads of potatoes and carrots – all to be issued by charities to those in need.
Along with donations of food and clothing, the foodbank has also helped furnish a homeless shelter in Glasgow and through a partnership with the Scottish Book Trust, has provided families with learning packs, storybooks and even tablets and Wi-Fi access to support with remote learning.
Sheena Hales, Programme Capability Manager at Royal Bank of Scotland and Manager of the Gogarburn distribution centre, said:“Christmas can always be a challenging time but the events and added pressures of 2020 have undoubtedly created extra stress and anxiety for many families.
“The foodbank has been committed to supporting those in need since the onset of the pandemic and while the food parcels will be essential, it’s also our hope that the little extra treats in the boxes will put a few smiles on faces this festive season.
“Crucially, this has been a team effort and none of it would be possible without the hard work and dedication of our volunteers or the generosity of our staff, customers and strategic partners who have worked tirelessly to make the foodbank what it is”
Caroline Bacigalupo, Operations Manager at BaxterStorey, said: “We are delighted to have been working with local community councils and local charities, supplying a variety of sweet treats and hearty meals.
“This Christmas, we plan to fill over 10,000 boxes for Christmas gifts and food packages to help those in need across Edinburgh and the Lothians.
“With the ongoing support of our team at BaxterStorey, G4S and of course Royal Bank of Scotland, we will be out delivering the packages in the run-up to Christmas.”
Malcolm Buchanan, Chair, Scotland Board, Royal Bank of Scotland said: “The work that our foodbank team has delivered throughout 2020 has been truly admirable and the results achieved reflect the unwavering commitment of our staff, customers and partners, who have all gone above and beyond to support those in their local communities.
“Under Sheena’s leadership, the team have been working behind the scenes to coordinate, manage and store huge deliveries and have all been busy packing up the shoeboxes ready for distribution. Our charity partners will then take the wheel, allocating the boxes to the incredibly deserving individuals and families within their support networks.”
● Dame Helen Mirren urges people in Edinburgh to donate to support homeless and vulnerable people this Christmas
● Comedian Rob Brydon and Olympian Sir Chris Hoy also encourage the nation to get involved
● Just Eat launches scheme in partnership with homeless charity Social Bite, to provide meals in Edinburgh over Christmas
● Customers can donate whilst ordering their takeaway and Just Eat will match their donations from Monday December 7th, raising funds for at least 100,000 meals
Dame Helen Mirren has urged people in Edinburgh to help raise money for homeless and vulnerable people in an appeal launched by Just Eat and Social Bite. Other well-known faces including Rob Brydon and Sir Chris Hoy have posted videos backing the new Christmas Meal Appeal launched by Just Eat in partnership with Social Bite.
The appeal comes after reports detail the increasing issue of homelessness in the UK, and the increased pressure and reliance on charities as the nation deals with the economic and social fallout of the Covid pandemic.
2020 has been like no other, but one positive outcome from this exceptionally challenging year is the sense of community and camaraderie that has emerged. Over 50% of people in Edinburgh say the pandemic has made them far more aware of those in need around them while two thirds agree that the pandemic has made them more appreciative of the life they lead.
The funds raised will be distributed by Social Bite who support homeless people through meal donations. Social Bite is the largest distributor of free fresh food to the homeless in the UK, giving out more than 140,000 items of food and hot drinks per year.
The initiative has also been praised by former government advisor on homelessness, Dame Louise Casey, who remains one of the UK’s most active advocates around the issues of homelessness and food poverty.
The Just Eat Christmas Meal Appeal is the perfect opportunity to help out and give back as we move towards the Christmas celebration, with many of us now hoping to be able to spend it with at least some of our family and friends.
Just Eat has committed to raising funds for at least 100,000 Christmas meals for homeless and vulnerable people and with support from customers, are aiming to fund up to 200,000. Customers can take part by clicking the donation button whilst they order their takeaway. They’ll have the choice of making a £3, £5 or £10 donation and Just Eat will match it, pound for pound.
Andrew Kenny UK MD for Just Eat commented: “After an exceptionally difficult year for so many, we’re proud to partner with Social Bite & FoodCycle, matching customers’ donations pound for pound to provide tens of thousands of Christmas meals for the UK’s homeless and vulnerable people.”
Josh Littlejohn from Social Bite added: “This year has been a lot more difficult than most, with many people finding themselves financially vulnerable and in the worst-case, homeless.
“We know that Christmas, in particular, can be a very challenging time which is why we’re delighted to be partnering with Just Eat for the Christmas Meal Appeal to help fill at least 100,000 plates this year all over the UK’.
Dame Louise Casey said: “The economic conditions that have prevailed across the UK since March means there has rarely been the same need as there is now to support our homeless people and I really welcome initiatives like Just Eat’s Christmas meal appeal to raise funds and awareness for charities like Social Bite”.
Mary McGrath, FoodCycle CEO says: “We are delighted that Just Eat are supporting FoodCycle again this winter. The Christmas Meal Appeal will help us provide nutritious meals to the thousands of people who simply cannot afford to buy food, including low income families, the elderly, key workers, students and asylum seekers.”
A new Welcome Centre has opened its doors for the winter season, providing warm food and sleeping facilities, immediate housing advice and wellbeing support to anyone facing rough sleeping.
Edinburgh co-ordinates support for rough sleepers this winter at new Rapid Re-accommodation Welcome Centre
Meals and a safe place to stay with social distancing in place
Multiple partner agencies working together to provide health, housing and advocacy support
Responding to the ongoing public health emergency with accommodation where social distancing and self-isolation can be practiced safely, the Welcome Centre shelter will provide up to 65 self-contained rooms every night until 3 May 2021.
It is being provided thanks to dedicated funding and support from the City of Edinburgh Council and the Scottish Government, plus anticipated charitable donations to Bethany Christian Trust including financial support from Social Bite.
A team of Council, public health, private and third sector workers will build on work which has taken place this year to tackle rough sleeping and move households from shared temporary accommodation like B&Bs into self-contained places to live. Edinburgh’s street-based outreach services, provided by StreetWork, will also help to identify individuals at risk during the colder months.
Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Convener Councillor Kate Campbell said: “Throughout this pandemic our priority has been making sure no one has to sleep rough and that we have good quality accommodation available for anyone who needs it.
“This means working together as a city and it’s welcome that the Council, the Scottish Government and third sector partners are doing just that. It’s emblematic of how we’ve been working since March, and shows how much we can achieve when we work together.
“The Welcome Centre is a place where urgent help can be provided immediately, but beyond that critical point, partners will be on hand to provide coordinated health and housing support and help people take steps to resolve their homelessness over the longer term.
“We know from the work we’ve done already that building trust immediately and taking services to people who need them, rather than asking them to come to us to ask for help, has a positive, lasting impact. It’s incredibly important in building relationships that are helping people to move on from rough sleeping.
“All steps are being taken to protect against Covid-19 and I want to pass my thanks to Bethany, the incredible efforts of our housing officers and our partners for working together on this.
“Just last month we put a five-year plan in place to further strengthen our support and we remain committed to doing all that we can to prevent and tackle homelessness. The lessons learned during the pandemic will be embedded long term so that we are taking every possible action to end rough sleeping in our city.”
Vice Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Convener Councillor Mandy Watt said: “We remain in a public health emergency so we need to take unprecedented steps to keep everyone as safe as we possibly can. We’re aiming to strengthen our support across all of our homelessness services and know this centre will be an important refuge for people who might otherwise sleep rough.
“A person facing a night on the streets during winter is already in a very vulnerable situation, but this is heightened by the pandemic. By opening this new welcome centre in an easily accessible venue where social distancing and self-isolation can more easily be practiced, we’re aiming to drastically reduce the risk of ill health to people in this position – and prevent the virus spreading throughout communities – at a time when the NHS will be under immense pressure.”
Edinburgh’s Bethany-run shelter ran from Church Halls last winter and the Old Waverley Hotel on Princes Street at the height of lockdown, benefitting 1,112 people. This year the centre will run from the Haymarket Hub Hotel located opposite Haymarket train station.
Alasdair Bennett, Chief Executive of Bethany Christian Trust, said: “We have a vision of ending homelessness in Scotland and over the years we have supported and prevented thousands of people from sleeping rough in Edinburgh with multi-agency support, health interventions, accommodation options and practical support, whilst also providing overnight shelter.
“The new Rapid Re-accommodation Welcome Centre will continue to rapidly re-accommodate people safely from the streets with multi-disciplinary interventions on-site, and we will still provide bed spaces for anyone that cannot access any alternative that night and for whom the Welcome Centre is a last resort.”
Scotland’s Housing Minister Kevin Stewart said: “I am clear that no one should be sleeping rough. Having the right support in place to ensure this isn’t the case is even more important during the harsher winter months and during the current pandemic.
“I am pleased we have been able to help fund this Rapid Rehousing Welcome Centre which provides accommodation and a support service, offering an important emergency safety net for anyone who finds themselves homeless.
“The pandemic has not changed our unwavering commitment to end homelessness, having allocated £32.5 million to support prioritising settled housing for all, and initiatives likes this are essential to protecting lives.”
Josh Littlejohn, Co-Founder of Social Bite, said: “Throughout the pandemic we’ve been committed to providing help and support to those who need it most and as we move into the winter months, it’s vital that this support continues, giving those who need it a warm, safe place to sleep at night.
“The Haymarket Hub allows ample space for social distancing measures to be followed and will be a huge support to the most vulnerable in our society as we all continue to navigate through these unsure and challenging times.
“We’re proud to have worked together with partner organisations to support this potentially life-saving project and help further tackle homelessness in the city.”
The Council’s Homelessness and Housing Support team is also available to help anyone in crisis on 0131 529 7125 (8.30am to 5.00pm Monday to Thursday and 8.30am to 3.40pm on Fridays).
Barratt Homes, one of the UK’s largest house builders has donated and fundraised over £6,800 to help local initiatives across the east of Scotland.
From January to June, the Edinburgh School Uniform Bank, PlayMidlothian, Cramond Playgroup, Social Bite, Edinburgh’s Women’s Aid and Ashlee’s Neuroblastoma Appeal, all received £1,000 as part of Barratt Homes East Scotland’s Community Fund.
The donations have helped provide food, school uniforms and essential packs for families, redecorate refuge accommodation and new sustainable toys for children, as well as general running costs and challenges arising from these unprecedented times.
Barratt Homes’ Community Fund pledges £1,000 every month to a charity or organisation, which supports local people across Edinburgh, the Lothians and Fife. Charities are nominated and voted for by employees of Barratt Homes and the focus for the fund continues to be on organisations that improve the quality of life for those living in the area.
Barratt Homes East also carried out a number of activities to fundraise a further £890 for chosen charities. These involved a walking, running and cycling for an hour challenge which raised £500 for the Edinburgh North West Foodbank, a virtual walk from Lands’ End to John O’ Groats raising £320 for Chas and a baking challenge raising £70 for Barratt East’s annual charity Love Gorgie Farm.
Speaking on the donation, Josh Littlejohn, CEO of Social Bite said: “We were very grateful to have the support of Barratt Homes during the challenging time when many families were stuck in isolation.
“Since March 20, we have been producing and distributing free food to homeless people and other vulnerable groups. We had given away an incredible 150,000 emergency food packs and Barratt’s donation allowed us to scale up our production and delivering 6,500 food packs every single day since April.”
Alison Condie, managing director for Barratt Scotland East added: “All of the charities we’ve donated to provide an invaluable service, and have carried out vital work in this difficult time for children, families and women across Scotland. We are very pleased we have been able to help them with these donations and look forward to supporting them where we can in the future.
“At Barratt East Scotland we are committed to supporting the communities we serve, and through the Community Fund and our fundraising activities, we hope to make a meaningful contribution to the services that make a positive impact on so many lives.”
For more information on Barratt Homes, visit the website.
The World’s Big Sleep Outkicked off in Hutt City, New Zealand on Saturday 7th December; Brisbane followed, then through Asia to Europe, including Edinburgh’s West Princes Street Gardens, London’s Trafalgar Square; jumping across the pond to Times Square in New York before the grand finale at the iconic Rose Bowl Stadium in LA, totalling 52 cities globally.Continue reading 60,000 people join The World’s Big Sleep Out around the globe
Social Bite has announced that award-winning children’s author and comedian David Walliams will join its homelessness cause by specially recording a bedtime story for young people taking part in a mass sponsored sleep out to help end homelessness.
