Outstanding Social Bite Entrepreneur Awarded an Honorary Degree
In 2018, we were delighted to award an honorary degree to the woman who persuaded the celebrated actor George Clooney to come to Edinburgh for lunch!
Alice Thompson, co-founder of the social enterprise and campaigning organisation that has been transforming the lives of homeless people, Social Bite, received the Degree of Doctor of the University, Honoris Causa at one of our graduation ceremonies that year.
A former Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Events Management student, Alice, and her colleague Josh Littlejohn, have achieved so much through Social Bite in a relatively short space of time, together establishing five social enterprise cafes throughout Scotland, a high-end Edinburgh restaurant that feeds homeless people and other diners, and a pay it forward system where customers can buy food in advance for homeless people.
The team also ran ‘Sleep in the Park’, the world’s largest sleep-out, which took place in Edinburgh’s Princes Street Gardens in December 2017. When 8000 participants slept out in subzero conditions during Sleep in the Park, they were treated to a bedtime story from John Cleese, and music from stars including Liam Gallagher.
With the £3.6 million raised from Sleep in the Park, Alice and Josh launched the Social Bite Village in 2018, eleven purpose-built homes for the homeless located in Granton, Edinburgh. By providing a package of accommodation, clinical support and employment at the Social Bite Village, the aim is to break the cycle of homelessness.
In addition to her many achievements, Alice also found time to host George Clooney, Leonardo DiCaprio, Prince Harry and the now Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, at Social Bite cafes.
