An Aberdeenshire businessman is spreading festive cheer by donating £5,000 of life-saving equipment to the homeless.
In partnership with Aberdeen’s Social Bite cafe and the local Cyrenians, Ian Garden, director of RigDeluge Ltd, has given 100 extreme-weather ponchos and thermal flasks in the hope they will help people survive on the streets.
The Fintray-based boss got involved last year and decided to step up once more to show the city’s homeless that “someone does care”.
He explained: “They will be able to bring the flask into Social Bite and get them filled with a hot drink – that could be vital in extreme weather conditions.
“Hopefully they will get some warmth and know that someone does care about them. And in conjunction with Social Bites pay it forward food and drinks it could really help people out on the streets.”
Aberdeen Social Bite employee Matt Thomson said they regularly get people through their doors looking for hot food and drinks, and explained: “We are busier than ever since we opened two years ago.”
The sandwich shop on Union Street opened last year, following the success of other Social Bite outlets in Edinburgh and Glasgow, but unlike its sister shops has not yet received any visits from A-list Hollywood stars.
George Clooney and Leonardo DiCaprio have both made high-profile trips to the Edinburgh Social Bite branch.
Aberdeen Cyrenians chief executive, Mike Burns welcomed the extra equipment, especially as he was preparing to take part in the Social Bites’ ‘Big Sleepout’ on Saturday night in Princes Street Gardens, Edinburgh.
He said donations were vital for the charity, adding: “As the cold weather bites, it is critical that we support as many people as we can who find themselves sleeping rough and on the streets.
“This year, with the problems of rough sleeping and homelessness on the increase our task is even greater.”