Martin Kemp along with Emma and Matt Willis are helping Edinburgh charity Social Bite launch a new campaign ahead of Christmas.
The cost of living crisis is affecting us all, but the impact is even more devastating for people who are homeless and vulnerable this festive season. With this, Social Bite has launched its Festival of Kindness and is urging people in Edinburgh to spread some much-needed festive goodwill and kindness during these difficult times.
As one in five people are living in poverty in the UK, according to Joseph Rowntree Foundation, Social Bite are asking people in Edinburgh to donate a ‘Christmas of Kindness’ for £28, which includes a meal, gift, pack of essential items, and emergency accommodation with support for people who are homeless.
READ NEXT - Teacher quits job to become stay-at-home girlfriend for Scottish Love Island star
Through the campaign, Social Bite has set a target of providing 300,000 meals, gifts, and essential winter items to those experiencing homelessness during this festive period after it was reported that An estimated 1.3 million more people will be plunged into absolute poverty by 2023, including 500,000 children.
Working alongside local partners, Social Bite has installed 28ft tall Christmas trees in five cities in the UK - London, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen, and Dundee, with people living nearby encouraged to buy an extra gift and bring it to the Tree of Kindness, these gifts will be distributed to people who are homeless in time for Christmas.
The charity has created a Wishlist of the items and gifts that homeless and vulnerable people need the most especially at this time of year – from a warm pair of gloves, a hot water bottle, to a torch, earphones, and toys for children living in temporary accommodation to open on Christmas morning.
Emma Willis said: “The work Social Bite does is amazing, so Matt and I are both really proud to support the Festival of Kindness campaign.
“The help the campaign provides for people experiencing homelessness across the country is transformative for so many and more important than ever during the current rises in the cost of living.
“I’d encourage anyone who can, to donate a ‘Christmas of Kindness’ online, or get along to their nearest Tree of Kindness to donate a gift and show whatever support they can to this brilliant cause.”
Social Bite co-founder and Executive Director, Josh Littlejohn MBE , said: “Your kindness is needed now more than ever. The economic challenges and inflation facing the country this year means that homeless people face a very bleak winter. Millions of people will be forced to choose between heating and eating and this Christmas, and tens of thousands of people all over the UK will spend the festive period on the streets – cold, hungry and lonely, without a family to go to.
"Tens of thousands of children will also find themselves in temporary emergency accommodation or without food on the table over the festive period.
“That’s why we are asking people living in Edinburgh to support our Festival of Kindness campaign by inviting them 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.”
On Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, Social Bite will be opening its coffee shops in Glasgow, Edinburgh, and Aberdeen to provide a warm Christmas dinner and some loving company for those who need it, as well as providing meals and gifts through a network of over 170 local charity partners across the UK.
Josh added “Our staff always give up their Christmas day every year to ensure that homeless and vulnerable people have delicious food to eat and some festive company. This year we will also be distributing food packs and hot meals to tens of thousands of people in food poverty through our network of charity partners all over the UK.”
All gifts will be distributed by Social Bite’s dedicated team of ‘elves’ to those who need it most, just in time for Christmas.
Denzil Skinner, Chair of Essential Edinburgh Business Improvement District, who are supporting Festival of Kindness in St Andrew Square Edinburgh said: “We would like to encourage all our locals to pop into the city centre, select a gift from the wish-list at one of our fantastic retailers and leave it at the tree of kindness in St Andrew Square Garden. This small act of kindness will make such a difference to some of our most vulnerable citizens. A little kindness goes a long way.”
People who are unable to visit a Tree of Kindness can also buy a ‘virtual gift’ online via the Social Bite website which will enable the provision of food, gifts and essential items. Donations will also help fund emergency accommodation for people who are sleeping rough, as well as energy support during this cost-of-living crisis.
In 2021, thanks to the generous support of the public, the Festival of Kindness campaign resulted in 276,545 Christmas meals, food packs, gifts, and essential items for people affected by homelessness and food poverty.
All gifts donated at the trees should be new and unwrapped, and there is a helpful ‘how-to’ guide on the charity’s website. Donated items will be placed in weather-proof Perspex boxes and collected each evening for transportation to the local distribution centre nearby. To find out more or donate, please visit https://www.social-bite.co.uk/
Christmas Trees have also been installed in four other cities in the UK - London, Glasgow, Aberdeen, and Dundee, and the five Festival of Kindness locations are:
- St Andrew Square, Edinburgh
- Charing Cross Station, London
- Vinicombe Street, Glasgow
- Outside M&S at the Bon Accord centre, Aberdeen
City Square, Dundee
READ NEXT -
Edinburgh pensioners roll back the years with archery lessons at care home
Royal Mint's rarest 50p coins worth hundreds as people urged to check loose change
Edinburgh Christmas Market: How much it costs for a family of four on a day out
Mike Tindall shuts down I'm a Celeb 'glamour' rumours during behind the scenes video
Terminally ill Scottish patients 'dying in pain' due to lack of out-of-hours care
