The festive sandwiches and sweet treats that help support homeless charities this Christmas
From big names such as the Salvation Army, Barnardo's and Age UK to Scottish-based initiatives such as Beatson Cancer Charity, there are many organisations looking for support this Christmas.
You may have filled out the forms that have arrived through the post or donated to a gift-giving charity, but what if you are looking to give to charity while enjoying some good food?
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Hide AdMany of the big high street chains have a Christmas charity tie-in, with proceeds from seasonal sandwiches going to a worthy cause.
This year 50p from every Christmas Lunch Sandwich and Very Merry Sandwich sold in Pret will be donated to The Pret Foundation, supporting those experiencing hunger and homelessness. A little something that might take the sting out of paying almost £6 for a sandwich. M&S is giving 5 per cent of sales from each of its festive sandwiches and cafe dishes to Shelter to support people experiencing homelessness or unfit and unsafe housing.
These include the turkey shawarma wrap, the very merry veggie roast wrap, the Christmas sando, and the turkey and ham hock toastie.
For something less commercial - and sweeter, Scottish charity Social Bite has a dessert pop-up at The Pitt in Granton. Social Bite’s first pop-up will celebrate all things custard, with delicious desserts including crumble made with seasonal fruit and a choice of toppings served with hot or cold fresh custard.
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Hide AdSocial Bite will be a permanent trader and exclusive provider of desserts for visitors to the popular street food market at its new home in Granton. Whilst Social Bite has a history of coffee shops in Edinburgh city centre, the charity is no stranger to the Granton Waterfront.
The Pitt is located opposite Social Bite’s village, which opened in 2018 and has since supported 100 people out of homelessness. The Pitt, owned and operated by not-for-profit community interest company, Granton Project CIC, is on a mission to create positive change in north Edinburgh and will open year round this winter.


Social Bite is also, once again, partnering with itison to fundraise for Christmas meals for the homeless this winter. In the first 24 hours of itison’s annual fundraiser for Social Bite going live, more than 15,000 meals were donated, helping to ensure people who are homeless will have a hot meal to eat and somewhere warm to spend Christmas Day, or a gift to open.
The campaign is crucial to the work Social Bite does and ensures people who are homeless can access free food, not just on Christmas Day, but the entire year round – something that simply would not be possible otherwise. Since the first itison fundraiser launched for Social Bite back in 2014, more than 750,000 meals have been donated.
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Hide AdSocial Bite’s Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen coffee shops will be opening their doors to people who are homeless on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day to serve Christmas dinners with all the trimmings, offering food, gifts and company at what is one of the loneliest times of the year for many. They are also open all year round for lunch, and you can ‘pay it forward’, meaning anyone in a situation of homelessness can go in and have something to eat and a hot drink.
Whether you are treating yourself to a seasonal breakfast or lunch or to spend that fiver donating to those in need, these companies and products are delicious ways to support people this Christmas.
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