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Glasgow Times
11-08-2025
- Business
- Glasgow Times
Inside the Glasgow cafe battling the homelessness crisis
Wedged between the Rangers Store and Jessops of Glasgow, the small storefront has become a popular gathering place for the city's young professionals since it opened two years ago. Yet, the queue belies a more concerning truth, that of a growing economic crisis which has left thousands of Glaswegians unable to pay rent or buy groceries. Dozens line up each morning outside the cafe, eager for a hot roll and sausage, a coffee or tea, and a warm smile. A second free meal service is held in the afternoon, this routinely attracting more than one hundred people every day. Netlix star Phil Rosenthal visited Social Bite in Edinburgh last year. (Image: Social Bite) Similar scenes can be observed at Social Bite's cafes in Aberdeen and Edinburgh. Social Bite's Managing Director, Mel Swan explains: 'We do a breakfast service and an afternoon service in Glasgow. Everyone is welcome, it is a very inclusive and welcoming environment. 'In the afternoon we have 'Scran', that will be the same food and drinks we serve in the cafe. Folks can get tea or coffee, or a bottle of water, and lunch items like jacket potatoes and sandwiches, as well as fruit and snacks. We have volunteers who help pack everything up.' Founded in Edinburgh by Josh Littlejohn in August 2012, Social Bite began life as a typical coffee shop. That is, until a homeless man named Peter approached Littlejohn for a job, kicking off a decade plus of battling the housing crisis. Littlejohn, who has received an MBE for his work in the sector, previously told The Herald about how he came up with the idea for the cafe, after reading a book by Bangladeshi economist Muhammad Yunus. 'I had just left university and at that time I had never heard of the term social enterprise,' he said. 'There was no cultural reference point for trying to create a business with a social mission, the only purpose of a business was to create profit. "Reading that book lit a fire within me when I learned that idea and felt a real sense of alignment." Today, Swan, who joined Social Bite several years ago, says that more people are using the charity's services than ever before. 'It's been very eye-opening," she notes. 'Some of the services are at their highest usage right now. That's for a variety of reasons. For example, in Glasgow, some of the other free food charitable services have had to close down, so we've seen a lot more people using our service. Our Rose Street store in Edinburgh is quite hit and miss at the moment since the festival is going on. 'Yesterday in Rose Street, 75 people came in for breakfast, and over 100 were served in the afternoon. In Glasgow yesterday, we had a social supper - which is a hot, family style meal, and served 120 people. Social Bite was founded by Josh Littlejohn. Pictured with John Watson. (L). (Image: John Watson) Swan added: 'Everyday you walk past our shops, especially in the afternoon, and you will see a queue before we do the free food service. Those queues have gotten bigger, we have different sorts of people joining. 'We serve hundreds of people a week, and it is a vital service for them. We pride ourselves on making it as inclusive as possible. We're all people and are all trying our best, so we want everyone to feel welcomed, regardless of whether they are paying or not.' But what do the cafe's customers think about the shop's charitable aims? Swan says that many are more than happy to 'pay it forward', purchasing drinks or snacks for cafe workers to give out during the day. She adds: 'We have brilliant coffee. That's a non-negotiable as far as I'm concerned. What makes us unique is the 'pay it forward' concept. Customers can come in and choose to buy a drink or a meal for someone who might be homeless or in a situation where they can't afford to buy their own food, and we will facilitate that for them. 'That happens every single day in all of our coffee shops. People come in; young, old, working, shopping, and every day I'm blown away by the amount of people who want to help. It's always really special around the winter months, when it's darker and colder, and we see someone banging on the door to come in and pay it forward. 'Our customers really like to see it in action. They like to know that is where their donations are going and that's brilliant. There are some people who don't want to see them, and that's something that as a society we're always trying to educate on, but that's the world we live in.' Christmas is a special time for the charity. (Image: Herald Picture Agency) The three shops come alive at the holiday season, Swan says with a smile on her face. 'At Christmas, we do something a bit different, it is a key period for us. Not only because of the need, but around our annual campaign. We still do free meal services Monday to Friday, but we also open our doors on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, and we do a sit down Christmas dinner.' Guests are served two courses, including turkey with all the trimmings and sticky toffee pudding, as well as special gifts and Christmas crackers. 'Each coffee shop might serve 400 or 500 people each year. We also support a lot of other charities. There's only so much we can do within the four walls of our coffee shop, but we do send meals to other charities during the holiday season.' READ NEXT: 3 suspects accused of murder of man in Glasgow 20 years ago READ NEXT: Glasgow man stealing from cars spat and told cops he had HIV As our conversation comes to a close, Swan reflects on the ethos behind Social Bite. 'Anyone can do food,' she says. 'You saw that in times of crisis, like Covid, lots of people came together because that's what we do, we want to feed people. 'We know how many meals we give out, we know how many coffees we give out, we've got those numbers, but actually that impact we have on people who use our services is the part that restores faith in why we're here.'
The Herald Scotland
11-08-2025
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
Social Bite cofee shops feed thousands amid housing crisis
Yet, the queue belies a more concerning truth, that of a growing economic crisis which has left thousands of Glaswegians unable to pay rent or buy groceries. Dozens line up each morning outside the cafe, eager for a hot roll and sausage, a coffee or tea, and a warm smile. A second free meal service is held in the afternoon, this routinely attracting more than one hundred people every day. Netlix star Phil Rosenthal visited Social Bite in Edinburgh last year. (Image: Social Bite) Similar scenes can be observed at Social Bite's cafes in Aberdeen and Edinburgh. Social Bite's Managing Director, Mel Swan explains: 'We do a breakfast service and an afternoon service in Glasgow. Everyone is welcome, it is a very inclusive and welcoming environment. 'In the afternoon we have 'Scran', that will be the same food and drinks we serve in the cafe. Folks can get tea or coffee, or a bottle of water, and lunch items like jacket potatoes and sandwiches, as well as fruit and snacks. We have volunteers who help pack everything up.' Founded in Edinburgh by Josh Littlejohn in August 2012, Social Bite began life as a typical coffee shop. That is, until a homeless man named Peter approached Littlejohn for a job, kicking off a decade plus of battling the housing crisis. Littlejohn, who has received an MBE for his work in the sector, previously told The Herald about how he came up with the idea for the cafe, after reading a book by Bangladeshi economist Muhammad Yunus. 'I had just left university and at that time I had never heard of the term social enterprise,' he said. 'There was no cultural reference point for trying to create a business with a social mission, the only purpose of a business was to create profit. "Reading that book lit a fire within me when I learned that idea and felt a real sense of alignment." Today, Swan, who joined Social Bite several years ago, says that more people are using the charity's services than ever before. 'It's been very eye-opening," she notes. 'Some of the services are at their highest usage right now. That's for a variety of reasons. For example, in Glasgow, some of the other free food charitable services have had to close down, so we've seen a lot more people using our service. Our Rose Street store in Edinburgh is quite hit and miss at the moment since the festival is going on. 'Yesterday in Rose Street, 75 people came in for breakfast, and over 100 were served in the afternoon. In Glasgow yesterday, we had a social supper - which is a hot, family style meal, and served 120 people. Social Bite was founded by Josh Littlejohn. Pictured with John Watson. (L). (Image: John Watson) Swan added: 'Everyday you walk past our shops, especially in the afternoon, and you will see a queue before we do the free food service. Those queues have gotten bigger, we have different sorts of people joining. 'We serve hundreds of people a week, and it is a vital service for them. We pride ourselves on making it as inclusive as possible. We're all people and are all trying our best, so we want everyone to feel welcomed, regardless of whether they are paying or not.' But what do the cafe's customers think about the shop's charitable aims? Swan says that many are more than happy to 'pay it forward', purchasing drinks or snacks for cafe workers to give out during the day. She adds: 'We have brilliant coffee. That's a non-negotiable as far as I'm concerned. What makes us unique is the 'pay it forward' concept. Customers can come in and choose to buy a drink or a meal for someone who might be homeless or in a situation where they can't afford to buy their own food, and we will facilitate that for them. 'That happens every single day in all of our coffee shops. People come in; young, old, working, shopping, and every day I'm blown away by the amount of people who want to help. It's always really special around the winter months, when it's darker and colder, and we see someone banging on the door to come in and pay it forward. 'Our customers really like to see it in action. They like to know that is where their donations are going and that's brilliant. There are some people who don't want to see them, and that's something that as a society we're always trying to educate on, but that's the world we live in.' Christmas is a special time for the charity. (Image: Herald Picture Agency) The three shops come alive at the holiday season, Swan says with a smile on her face. 'At Christmas, we do something a bit different, it is a key period for us. Not only because of the need, but around our annual campaign. We still do free meal services Monday to Friday, but we also open our doors on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, and we do a sit down Christmas dinner.' Guests are served two courses, including turkey with all the trimmings and sticky toffee pudding, as well as special gifts and Christmas crackers. 'Each coffee shop might serve 400 or 500 people each year. We also support a lot of other charities. There's only so much we can do within the four walls of our coffee shop, but we do send meals to other charities during the holiday season.' Read more: 'I thought I was dying': Social Bite's Josh Littlejohn on mental health challenges Dame Helen Mirren and Will Smith back Social Bite's global charity sleep-out Leonardo DiCaprio highlights plight of homeless in Social Bite restaurant visit As our conversation comes to a close, Swan reflects on the ethos behind Social Bite. 'Anyone can do food,' she says. 'You saw that in times of crisis, like Covid, lots of people came together because that's what we do, we want to feed people. 'We know how many meals we give out, we know how many coffees we give out, we've got those numbers, but actually that impact we have on people who use our services is the part that restores faith in why we're here.'
STV News
03-07-2025
- Business
- STV News
'I was left homeless at 16 - now I have a job, a daughter and a future'
A young dad who was left homeless at 16 after drugs caused a rift with his parents has since turned his life around. Michael McPhee cycled through a number of temporary jobs trying to make ends meet until, on his 17th birthday, he found out he was to become a father for the first time. With fatherhood on the horizon, Michael focused on finding stable work to support his daughter – but his personal circumstances made it difficult to secure steady, suitable employment. Without a fixed address, he couldn't provide the documentation needed for formal, full-time work, so he relied on couch surfing and cash-in-hand jobs to get by. Michael, now 23, told STV News: 'As soon as you were in the job, there was no support. 'There was little to no security in the jobs I had and because of this I was always left uncertain about my future within organisations, and where I would be left when it ended. 'I was fighting an uphill battle to work. I was under-valued and felt completely helpless and alone, especially when challenges arose within the organisation. 'The programmes which helped me get the roles washed their hands of me as soon as I started.' After a year of unemployment, Michael joined Social Bite's Jobs First programme for six months. He is now working in a front-of-house role at Mitchells and Butlers' Harvester in Glasgow. STV News Michael now works front-of-house at a Harvester restaurant in Glasgow Since landing the role, Michael feels valued, happy and in control of his life for the first time. 'From the get-go, I have had loads of support not only finding a job but adapting to my new routine and developing the necessarily skills,' he said. 'I've been loving my role at Harvester and have been named employee of the month in recognition of my customer service abilities.' The Jobs First scheme that helped Michael is an innovative employment initiative supporting individuals with lived experience of homelessness. Different to other employment programmes, it provides support to both the employee and employer helping them both balance the challenges that arise. Marzena Farana-Sherlock is director of social impact at Social Bite. She said: 'This systemic issue needs to change, so at Social Bite, we took action to break this cycle in a sustainable way. 'Thanks to the hard work of everyone involved, we are already witnessing remarkable outcomes that benefit all stakeholders and the UK economy.' STV News Social Bite's social impact director Marzena Farana-Sherlock Jobs First's primary goal is to support people who have experienced homelessness into real job opportunities and to increase the opportunities available to them within the job market. However, an independent evaluation by the University of Edinburgh has highlighted the additional social and economic benefits the programme has. It found that every £1 invested in Social Bite's Jobs First programme yields an estimated £3 worth of social benefits. It also said the programme enhances UK public finances by at least £0.71 per £1 investment Almost 100 people and ten employers are now working with the Jobs First programme. For Michael however, beyond the pounds and pence of wages, the benefits have been much more significant. 'I finally feel secure, and it's been a huge relief to know I can not only provide for myself but my daughter,' he said. 'For the first time since I left home, my fridge is always full, and I have the financial freedom to finally focus on myself, my happiness and that of my daughter.' Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
South Wales Argus
29-05-2025
- Business
- South Wales Argus
Charities invited to apply for share of £100,000 funding
CrossCountry has opened applications for its annual Customer and Communities Improvement Fund (CCIF), which supports initiatives that reduce pollution, protect the environment, support sustainable community growth, and create a positive impact on wider society. The summer application period closes on Friday, June 6. Candice Dos Santos Hodgson, project manager at CrossCountry, said: "We're excited to launch the next Customer and Communities Improvement Fund and can't wait to see what applications come in from communities across the country. "We'd be delighted to hear from projects and groups looking to improve the communities served by the CrossCountry network, especially with an emphasis on social value and sustainability." Since April 1, 2022, the CCIF has supported 30 initiatives across the country, with a total value of more than £550,000. This includes a £17,000 donation to Social Bite's Job First programme in Edinburgh and a £40,000 donation to the Cornwall Community Foundation. Marzena Farana-Sherlock, director of social impact at Social Bite, said: "The generous funding from CrossCountry will allow us to continue supporting individuals affected by homelessness into jobs, which can be truly life-changing." For the first time this year, additional funding will be delivered by CrossCountry through its Biodiversity Improvements Projects (BIP) fund. This will support projects on and around the rail network that enhance biodiversity, improve access to nature, and help the railway adapt to the changing climate. To find out more and to apply to the fund, visit the CrossCountry website.
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
CrossCountry invites applications for £100,000 community fund
Train operator CrossCountry has opened applications for its Customer and Communities Improvement Fund. The fund, which supports community initiatives across the CrossCountry network, will see £100,000 made available throughout the year for projects that deliver social and environmental benefits across the UK, including in York. The summer application period will close on Friday, June 6. Candice Dos Santos Hodgson, project manager at CrossCountry, said: "We're excited to launch the next Customer and Communities Improvement Fund, and can't wait to see what applications come in from communities across the country." Since April 1, 2022, the Customer and Communities Improvement Fund has supported 30 initiatives with a total value of more than £550,000. This includes a £17,000 donation to social enterprise Social Bite's Job First programme in Edinburgh, and a £40,000 donation to Cornwall Community Foundation. To find out more and apply, visit For the first time this year, additional funding will be delivered by CrossCountry through its Biodiversity Improvements Projects fund, which will support projects on and around the rail network that enhance biodiversity, improve access to nature, and help the railway adapt to the changing climate. Applications can be made at
