The University of Edinburgh has been playing its part to support vulnerable rough sleepers by working with local charity Streetwork.

The University has donated face masks to ensure frontline workers have Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), used its vans to collect food, and worked with its contractor Balfour Beatty to arrange a donation of toiletries.

A total of 500 single-use face masks were donated earlier this month to ensure that workers and volunteers have appropriate protection against the spread of the coronavirus.

University staff from the Estates team have also been putting their vans to good use in recent weeks, by delivering food directly to Streetwork’s Cairn Hotel. The scheme sees servitorial services staff run multiple deliveries every week from the city’s supermarkets.

Finally, the University has worked with Balfour Beatty, who are construction partners for the new Edinburgh Futures Institute on Lauriston Place, to arrange a donation of toiletries donated from the staff.

Rankin Barr, Service Leader at Streetwork said: “Streetwork at Simon Community Scotland would like to thank the University of Edinburgh for all the wonderful donations during the lockdown. Everything from clothing, transportation of food supplies to the hotels and face masks for our PPE stocks. It is a superb contribution, supporting vulnerable rough sleepers.”

 

Credit: The University of Edinburgh