Scottish social enterprise Social Bite has opened its pioneering village for homeless people.
The sandwich shop marked the end of the 10-month process to build 11 two-bedroom NestHouse homes in Grafton, Edinburgh, that will offer a stable and supported way of living to 20 residents at a time for a period of 12 to 18 months.
It is hoped that the project, which was funded in part by the 8,000 people who took part in December’s Sleep Out event, is aiming to break the cycle of homelessness and provide pathways into employment and permanent housing.
Josh Littlejohn MBE, co-founder of Social Bite, said: “There’s no one-size-fits all solution to homelessness and what we’re doing at the village is developing a viable alternative to the unsupported, substandard and expensive temporary accommodation models that are prevalent within the homelessness system such as hostels and B&Bs.
“The village wouldn’t be happening without the incredible support we’ve received every step of the way. Whether it is everyone who slept out for us over the last two years and raised funds, or the 100+ companies who have backed the construction of the village with pro-bono support – I am truly grateful.”
Today's the day! About to celebrate the launch of the Social Bite Village �Ή #VillageLaunch#SocialBitepic.twitter.com/iHAbrH3VKE
— Social Bite (@SocialBite_) May 17, 2018