THE final two ‘nest houses’ have been delivered to the Social Bite Village – a project that aims to tackle homelessness in Scotland – based in Granton, Edinburgh.
The village is delivering a new housing model within a supported community environment, with the target of breaking the cycle of homelessness by helping residents find employment and permanent housing.
The nest houses have been designed to provide “compact comfortable homes” which will be shared by two residents. The village features a community hub, where residents, staff and volunteers will be encouraged to prepare meals, eat together, socialise, develop social and practical skills and benefit from a welcoming environment.
Project director Gill Henry from Cruden Group said, “The Cruden Group is delighted to have led the development of the village on behalf of Social Bite Communities. It is really exciting today to see the final two nest houses being dropped into position. With only the landscaping to finish, the project has been delivered in an incredibly short space of time from our initial meeting in February 2017 -and it will be with a great sense of achievement that we hand the village over shortly.
“We look forward to seeing how the community develops and encourages many who have experienced homelessness to find confidence and security while they live in this great place. It could not have been achieved without the pro-bono contributions, sheer dedication and financial support of so many.”
Social Bite co-founder Josh Littlejohn MBE added, “I can’t thank Gill and Cruden Group enough for their support and involvement in this project. The Social Bite Village has been a hugely ambitious undertaking, and Gill has ensured that the project has run without a hitch in such a tight time frame.”
Alister Steele, chairman of Social Bite Communities said, “Today sees the last piece of the village jigsaw slotting into place. The project is a remarkable testimony to the generosity of so many people and business who have given time, money and materials to bring Josh’s vision to a reality. The cornerstone of this achievement has undoubtedly been Gill who has co-ordinated and cajoled the project team to get us to this point.”
