Edinburgh City Mission
Edinburgh City Mission is a Christian charitable organisation whose remit covers Edinburgh and the Lothians, Scotland. It is dedicated to sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ and providing practical help and support to those in need.
The Mission's flagship program is Basics Banks, which runs several food banks throughout Edinburgh and in Musselburgh and Dunbar. The Basics Banks provide resources for people who are struggling to afford basic necessities.
ECM helped found the Care Van in association with Bethany Christian Trust in 1990 and continues to partner with Bethany in managing the Care Van.
The Mission's main office is on The Mound, Edinburgh, close to its original location on the Royal Mile.
History
Edinburgh City Mission was founded in 1832 by David Nasmith, six years after the founding of the first City Mission in the world, the Glasgow City Mission.
The Mission has formerly been active in various forms of evangelism, including street evangelism, setting up special events, and was known for its work in the poorer, deprived areas of the city through Mission Halls and Drop-In Centres.
The Mission also used to run The Christian Heritage Centre and hosted Celtic Tours on the Royal Mile. Both focused on historical events, many of which have significant influence both on reformed theology and modern atheistic thinking. The Christian Heritage Centre recently became an independent charity in its own right but still maintains close ties to the Mission.
In the last few years, The Mission has invested more in its Basics Bank project which continues to be ECM's primary mission work.