Scottish Catholic Observer

The archbishop met with representatives from the Edinburgh-based Cyrenians charity to discuss how the Church can best help them with their work with people excluded from home, work or in their community.

“It was really good to let the archbishop know what we are about and to inform him of our roots given we were founded by a Catholic priest, Fr Anthony Ross,” the Reverend Ewan Aitken, chief executive of Cyrenians, said.

“It was also good to talk and to understand the ways in which the Catholic Church and the Cyrenians can cooperate in helping those most in need.”

The Cyrenians are named after Simon of Cyrene who helped Jesus carry the Cross during his Passion. The organisation works with homeless and vulnerable people in order to help them build better and more independent lives.

The organisation remain committed to preventing and alleviating homelessness, but they have expanded into services relating to employment and training opportunities for everyone from school leavers to the long-term unemployed; helping people overcome social issues including addiction, loneliness and family conflict; and encouraging more people to grow and cook their own food through community farms and gardening opportunities.

The Cyrenians is a wide reaching secular organisation that originated from Skippers Café, a night shelter for rough sleepers in Edinburgh City Centre that was set up by Dominican Priest Father Anthony Ross in 1966.

Skippers closed in 1968, but provided the basis for the Edinburgh Cyrenian Trust’s original headquarters and supported accommodation services in Broughton Place.