The bank will be opening the boardroom at St Andrew’s Square in Edinburgh and welcoming those Social Bite and the bank have supported this year.

It is part of the bank’s long-term support for the work Social Bite is doing to end homelessness. Since 2016, Royal Bank has supported Social Bite through donations, gifts-in-kind, and strategic help totalling over £1 million. Royal Bank employees have raised more than £100,000 through sponsored sleepouts, abseils and Christmas appeals.

Taking place on 19 December 2023, those attending include residents and staff from Social Bite’s Village in Edinburgh, run in partnership with Cyrenians to provide a supported community which helps people affected by homelessness to lead an independent life. Social Bite plans to open two new Villages in South Lanarkshire and Dundee over the next two years.

This Christmas, the bank is also supporting Social Bite’s Festival of Kindness which will provide meals, gifts and essentials for people who are homeless at Christmas and throughout the winter, alongside homes and jobs.

Judith Cruickshank, chair of the Royal Bank of Scotland Board commented on the collaboration, stating: “Building on our long-term support for Social Bite we are helping to make Christmas a little more enjoyable for some of the most vulnerable.”

Josh Littlejohn, co-founder of Social Bite, added: “We are so grateful for Royal Bank’s support. They have played a key part in a number of transformational projects helping people break the cycle of homelessness, and it is really special that they have created this Christmas experience for the residents of the Village.”