Edinburgh’s Social Bite among Santander winners

More than 100 social enterprises across the UK, including an Edinburgh-based sandwich and catering business, have won a share of an investment fund from banking giant Santander.

Social Bite Cafe. Picture: Lesley Martin

Awards of £5,000, £10,000 or £20,000 were made available to a range of ventures as part of the bank’s social enterprise development awards (SEDA). Total funding amounts to £925,000.

Alongside prize money, winning social enterprises receive a business support package from Santander which includes business webinars and funded internships.

This year’s 101 recipients include Social Bite, pictured, a catering venture headquartered in Edinburgh that employs homeless people, which will use its award to buy a van to help it to expand.

Social Bite Cafe. Picture: Lesley Martin

Steve Pateman, head of UK banking at Santander, said: “Social ventures play a valuable role in supporting communities and SEDA was set up to help those with the potential to grow.

“Over the last five years, SEDA has helped over 400 dynamic social enterprises and we are very pleased to have seen the winners expand and increase their social impact.”