The organisation, which is a local partner with Bethany Christian Trust, raised support for the charity’s Care Van and Care Shelter – two services that support hundreds of vulnerable and homeless people every year in the nation’s capital and Lothians.

The cheque was presented to Ann McLaughlan, Corporate Fundraiser at Bethany Christian Trust by Kirsty Ward, area manager at Nationwide, last month in Nationwide’s George Street branch.

The funds will provide the Care Van and Care Shelter with much needed items such as blankets, ear plugs, disposable cups, plates and cutlery, as well as cleaning supplies.

The Care Shelter provides people who are sleeping rough with a place to go for the night where they can find shelter, a hot meal and a warm place to sleep. Staffed by 750 people from various churches across Edinburgh and the Lothians, the service relies entirely on volunteers. The service is run by a small team of staff and relies on around 1000 volunteers from churches across the Lothians.

Through this partnership with Nationwide, Bethany Christian Trust will be able to build strong relationships with their staff as well as continue the essential work around Edinburgh and the Lothians.

Kirsty Ward said: “Having previously supported the Bethany Christian Trust as a volunteer on the Care Van, my eyes were opened to how valuable this service is in providing hot drinks, food, blankets and clothes to those on our city streets. I am delighted that Nationwide Building Society has been able to donate over five thousand pounds towards these vital services, as well as offering our employees volunteering opportunities with the charity.”

Ann McLaughlan, corporate fundraiser at Bethany Christian Trust, said: “We are very grateful for the fantastic donation of over five thousand pounds from of Nationwide Building Society. This funding came as a result of Bethany’s application, and we are very grateful for this generous support. This donation will provide much needed equipment for our Care Van and Care Shelter which supports over hundreds of vulnerable and homeless people throughout Scotland.

“I also want to thank all Nationwide employees for their ongoing support and we look forward to working with many more in the months to come. The support is vital as we continue to support vulnerable individuals and families who require our services each day.”

Established in 1983, Bethany Christian Trust supports over 7,000 people across Scotland. The charity’s services focus on preventing homelessness as well as alleviating the suffering of people who are homeless.