St Catharine's Convent

St Catharine’s Convent, Edinburgh, runs a Homeless Project and soup kitchen for local people in need. The Royal Caledonian Charities Trust is a longstanding supporter of their work. Our most recent grant was £3,000 in 2021.

St Catharine’s Convent Homeless Project offers friendship and practical support to homeless and disadvantaged people. It normally provides morning and evening meals, toilet and shower facilities, and perhaps - more importantly - a warm welcome, a listening ear and a place to call ‘Home’.

The project is used by up to 200 people a day. These range from long-term homeless people who are sleeping rough or staying in hostels around the city, to old age pensioners who bus in from their flats in the Edinburgh estates for a meal and some company. It’s all about helping the local community.

Borderline

Borderline support homeless Scots in London. The Royal Caledonian Charities Trust are longstanding supporters of their work, most recently through a £3,000 grant in 2021.

Each of Borderline’s clients has his or her own story. The charity's latest research highlights that homeless Scots in London face complex and often interconnected issues, significantly higher than UK clients in general across the board.

69% of our clients have drug misuse issues
58% face alcohol misuse issues
73% have mental health support needs
65% have physical health needs
62% report having spent time in prison
31% have been spent time in care

Many of Borderline's clients have been rough sleeping across a number of years. As such, the charity work one-to-one with clients to provide the long-term support necessary to tackle these complex issues. Borderline will be there for their clients for as long as they are needed, even after they have supported them into accommodation.