The ARK team met John Keogh, founder and CEO of The Ootsider at the CIH Scotland Housing Festival last week where they heard more about the company’s inspirational work to help homeless people.

John said: “Thanks to ARK, we have been able to make 20 sleeping coats which we will be distributing to various charities including The Scottish Homeless Project in Glasgow, The Breakfast Bothy in Edinburgh, and Two Brews in Manchester. These coats are wind and waterproof, and fleece lined which ensures rough sleepers can be warm and dry.”

A dedicated group of staff at ARK raised the money in December by completing a virtual walk of over 2,200 miles from their head office in Birmingham, around Scotland and back again.

Kirsty Wells, assistant director based in Scotland, said: “It was a pleasure to be able to support The Ootsider. We raise money for good causes every year, and I nominated John’s CIC because I know what a difference they are making.

“We are celebrating our 35th anniversary as a company and being able to support organisations like the Ootsider is really important to us.”