It was a moment that was to change the course of Josh Littlejohn MBE’s life. A homeless man named Peter came into the café he was running at the time and asked for a job.
The support Josh gave the young man by offering him employment led to the creation of the UK-based charity Social Bite, which supports homeless and vulnerable people across the UK. This year, the mission is being supported by aerospace engineering company Leonardo. The company, which employs over 7,500 people across the UK at its sites in Edinburgh, Basildon, Bristol, Luton, Lincoln, Southampton and Yeovil, was not able to hold its usual Christmas celebrations due to Covid. For the second year running, Leonardo will instead be donating the funding for traditional employee celebrations to Social Bite.
The donation will allow Social Bite to buy 4,000 meals for those experiencing homelessness this Christmas throughout Scotland, London and the rest of the UK. Every Christmas, Social Bite opens its doors on Christmas day and, this year, the charity is organising food provision all over the UK throughout the festive period in its annual ‘Festival of Kindness’ campaign. The Festival of Kindness has a mission to provide 300,000 meals, gifts and essential items to homeless and vulnerable people this Christmas.
Norman Bone, Chair and CEO of Leonardo UK, said: “I am pleased that something positive is able to come out of what continues to be a tough time with Covid. All Leonardo employees can be proud that they have contributed to supporting those who find themselves most in need this Christmas. Last year we chose Social Bite because of their dedication to helping homeless people get back on their feet, going beyond food to provide employment, training and an all-important social network. Throughout the last 12 months, their commitment to the cause has been unwavering. We hope this donation is able to provide some happier moment for the most vulnerable and in need this Christmas.”
Founded by Josh Littlejohn MBE and Alice Thompson, Social Bite began life as a small cafe in Edinburgh, Scotland, in August 2012 and has since expanded across the UK. The charity has captured the imagination of the public over the years with sponsored sleepouts and other interactive events, supported by a host of high-profile individuals including Malala Yousafzai and George Clooney.
Josh Littlejohn, Social Bite’s Co-Founder, said: “We’d like to thank Leonardo and its staff for being #XmasPartyHeroes and joining our Festival of Kindness. For homeless people and families living in poverty, the last couple of years made their situation even more difficult. This generous donation will provide a real lifeline to so many across the UK this winter. We are very grateful for this generous support.”