Leader comment: Homeless village becomes a reality

Josh Littlejohn on the site of the village

The finishing touches are being applied to the very first Social Bite village, a unique community for people who find themselves homeless to help get their lives back on track.

We had an exclusive peek inside the village today on pages 10 and 11 and it is looking simply stunning. The idea was to create a low cost, safe living environment for up to 20 people who will also receive work placements and support. After 12-18 months, it is hoped that they then move into permanent accommodation and another 20 residents are welcomed in.

It is a fantastic project, made possible by the support of various organisations as well as public donations and the mass Sleep in the Park event. Homelessness in a city as affluent as Edinburgh is quite simply a scandal and remains one of the major challenges facing city chiefs. The Social Bite project steps in where other agencies have failed, giving hope where there may well have been none.

Congratulations to all involved, in particular the incredible Josh Littlejohn who has watched his vision become a reality. We hope it will prove to be a very happy home for many of our vulnerable residents.