- Social Bite’s Festival of Kindness has kicked off in Edinburgh at St Andrew Square
- Social Bite is calling for local retail businesses to join their Tags of Kindness initiative to make gifting even simpler
- The charity aims to provide 300,000 meals, gifts and essential items for homeless and vulnerable people across the UK and your help is needed now
Social Bite’s Festival of Kindness has returned to St Andrew Square for 2025. This year, the leading homelessness charity is not only encouraging people to donate gifts, essential items, and the cost of a hot Christmas meal to people who need them most – it is also calling on local retailers to get involved and help make giving even easier. Together, Social Bite hopes to inspire more than 300,000 acts of kindness across the country this festive season.
Social Bite’s Tree of Kindness is once again bringing festive sparkle to St Andrew Square since opening earlier this week. Now in its sixth year, the tree acts as a community drop-off point where people can donate toys, warm clothing, and critical everyday essentials that will support individuals and families facing hardship this winter.
This year also marks the launch of Tags of Kindness, a new initiative inviting Edinburgh retailers to play a direct role in helping to support people experiencing homelessness. Participating shops will receive special tags to attach to selected items identified by people affected by homelessness as the things that would help them most; from warm gloves and children’s gifts to practical items like a SIM card that allows someone to stay connected with loved ones. Shoppers can buy any tagged item, as well as items on Social Bite’s wish list, and donate it at the Tree of Kindness in St Andrew Square.
The call for community support comes at a critical time. In Edinburgh, 14,219 people, including 3,980 children, are homeless. Social Bite is urging local residents and retailers to rally together and help achieve the highest number of donations yet, ensuring help reaches the growing number of people experiencing homelessness or vulnerability in the city.
“We started our Festival of Kindness campaign in Edinburgh back in 2020, and since then the people of Edinburgh have helped us make the festive period brighter for thousands of people who are facing a challenging time. To help us reach our goal of 300,000 gifts we’re asking kind-hearted retailers to make it even easier for shoppers to get involved and make donating to Festival of Kindness a part of their Christmas shopping ritual.
“We hear from the people who receive the public’s kind gifts and donations about how much of a difference it makes to them. The Festival of Kindness has become something the people we support not only look forward to, but rely on for the things so many of us take for granted. The generous people of Edinburgh can truly make a difference.”
Founder of Social Bite, Josh Littlejohn MBE
As well as gifts hand-delivered to the Social Bite Tree of Kindness, anyone who is looking to take part can donate virtually. Donations of £28 could provide someone with a hot Christmas meal, a gift, a bundle of essential items and a bed for the night. Supporters can also donate specific items, such as a pack of warm gloves for £10, toys and clothing for children for £100, or make a contribution to the Social Bite Villages in Edinburgh, South Lanarkshire and Dundee.
The Edinburgh Tree of Kindness, thanks to support from Essential Edinburgh, is now open until 22nd December: Monday-Wednesday 12pm-4pm and Thursday-Sunday 11am-7pm.
As well as the tree located at St Andrew Square, four other Trees of Kindness have been installed across the UK – including in Birmingham for the first time:
- Glasgow – Vinicombe Street
- Aberdeen – outside the Bon Accord Centre
- Birmingham – New Street Station, outside All Bar One
- London – Strand outside of The Clermont Hotel
To donate virtually or find out more, visit: Social-Bite.co.uk/Festival-Of-Kindness
Retailers looking to get involved should contact partnerships@social-bite.co.uk
The post Edinburgh’s Tree of Kindness Lights Up as Social Bite Aims for 300,000 Donations appeared first on Edinburgh Magazine – Positive Local News in Edinburgh, Scotland.
