Hopes rise for Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre

Some funding secured but the fight goes on

Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre has received a boost ahead of a crucial funding meeting next week. It’s now recommended that the Centre WILL receive funding from Health and Social Care – albeit with a cut. Centre chairman Alex Dale says that’s welcome news – but stressed that the fight to save the centre is not over yet.

The Centre’s management committee received an update from Inverleith councillor Lesley Hinds yesterday. She told Drylaw Community Association:

“Following my discussion with Councillor Ricky Henderson, Convener of Health and Social Care, I am pleased to inform you the Health and Social Care Committee meeting on 26th January will recommend funding for Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre.

I would be grateful if you could pass on this information to Board members and users of Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre.

The Children and Families Committee will make a decision on your other grant on 11th February and I will be strongly arguing for a grant to be awarded from this Committee.”

Welcoming the news, Drylaw Telford Community Association chair Alex Dale said: “It’s very good news for Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre that Health & Social Care has decided to revisited our Grant Applicant and have decided to recommend for approval a grant award based at last year’s level minus 4.1 %.

“This is a positive step forward for the Centre’s future and its users  but the future of the centre will not be secured until the Children and Families report back on 11 February with a positive recommendation for the centre.

“On behalf of the Management committee I would like to thank the City of Edinburgh Inverleith Councillors who fought on our behalf to persuade their colleagues and council officers to reinstate this stream of funding and their ongoing support to secure funding from Children & Families.

“I would also like to thank our centre users and the community who took the time to support the centre via our on–line petition and those who took time to pop into the centre and sign our paper version – this very much appreciated but the campaign to secure the future of the centre goes on.”