we’re here to provide a helping hand to anyone experiencing homelessness in edinburgh
about our wee charity
the breakfast bothy is proudly a carlowrie group charity and was opened by the team at carlowrie castle during the lockdown of 2020.
we had a simple idea in mind: to provide a hot drink and breakfast to those who are unable to provide for themselves. since then, we've built a community of people who come for breakfast and stay for a chat. we’ve extended our opening hours to serve lunches, and set up a token scheme with local businesses so everyone can have access to the vital services they need.
in 2024, we opened our charity shop, the bothy boutique. this funky wee shop helps us provide guests with warm coats and essential items donated to us by our wonderful supporters, and sales from the bothy boutique help fund our work.
our mission is to be a go-to spot for anyone in need of a hot meal, a friendly face, or some helpful advice and support. we’re continuing to evolve and expand our services to encourage a happy, healthy community.
buy someone a breakfast -
buy someone a breakfast -
visit the breakfast bothy
100 melville drive, edinburgh, eh9 9ex
located at the meadows on melville drive, look out for the bright yellow and red police box at the bottom of marchmont road.
Hours
Monday to Friday 9am to 1pm
Phone
0131 563 1796
meet the team
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tim fidelo
trustee, head chef & bothy manager
tim worked in award-winning kitchens for many years, so you know that his breakfasts and lunches are always going to be top tier. his banter, wisdom and empathy can brighten anyone’s day and this makes him the perfect person to manage both the bothy and the boutique.
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andrew marshall
trustee & founder
andrew goes above and beyond to give back to others. He not only founded the breakfast bothy, but is also the founder of a homelessness charity in london. all of andrew’s businesses under the carlowrie group have giving back at the heart of what they do.
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keith taylor
trustee, chair & behind the scenes all-rounder
in keith’s day job, you’ll find him working as operations director at carlowrie castle, where one minute he’ll be managing budgets, and the next minute he’s feeding the cows. all the while keith is keeping the bothy stocked with coffee, cups, bacon and anything else needed.
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jen cusick
trustee & events superstar
jen is the events director at carlowrie castle, and as such knows how to throw a party. hailing from glasgow, she brings a welcome blast of west coast flair and charm and has an honours degree in chat. jen is a true natural at bringing people from all walks of life together.
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sawnie
breakfast bothy front of house
once a bothy guest himself, sawnie has since begun manning the bothy, making coffee and food for others in need. he is a self-described “freegan” and also helped set up a foodshare nearby for local people experiencing homelessness.
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caitlin turner
communications manager and trustee
caitlin is the person behind our monthly newspaper, the bothy bulletin. she also supports with strategic planning, fundraising, and communications as a trustee of the charity.
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cara fidelo
assistant manager
being assistant manager at the bothy boutique, you’ll most likely find cara at our wee charity shop in marchmont sorting through donations or serving customers at the till. recently focusing on our online shops, cara is constantly looking for new ways to raise money through our boutique to continue supporting the charity.
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emmanuelle meyer
bothy boutique assistant manager
emma helps manage our team of volunteers at the bothy boutique and makes sure all aspects of the shop are running smoothly. her knack for good chat makes every guest to the shop feel welcome!