Comas, a small local charity which supports the recovery community in Edinburgh & The Lothians, is urgently appealing for help to find new premises to enable it to continue its vital work. With less than three months until the end of the tenancy agreement on its current premises at Jackson’s Entry, in the city centre, Comas faces the closure of its Serenity Café and other facilities unless it can find a new home for them.
Established just under10 years ago to support those who may feel disconnected or excluded from society or isolated by health and social issues, Comas (Gaelic for ability) helps thousands of people within the local community. Most are experiencing, and struggling to overcome, challenges ranging from physical and mental ill health to drug and alcohol addictions, and unemployment and poverty.
Serenity Café is at the core of the charity’s services, bringing people together to encourage a sense of community and belonging. Mostly staffed by and catering for those in recovery, the facility offers a friendly, welcoming environment. It provides an easily-accessible combination of social hub and meeting point where people can find support, share their troubles, and make friends. It also offers a place of work to many, enabling and empowering them through the opportunity to earn income or take the first steps into volunteering.
Since Comas received notification that its current tenancy agreement cannot be renewed and it will have vacate Jackson’s Entry by 27 June 2018, the charity has continued to operate on a business-as-usual basis, however it has been proactively seeking practical help to find suitable new premises in a similarly convenient location.
Fiona Morrison, Chief Executive of Comas, said: “Losing our premises is a major blow. It’s vital for the continuity of our services – a lifeline on which so many people in our community depend – that we find alternative suitable accommodation that is affordable and accessible.
“As well as providing a space where people can come together to find the solutions they need, Serenity Café is open to the public, selling a range of modestly-priced meals and snacks. It’s therefore an important source of funding for our charity, as is our excellent event space which we hire out for a wide variety of functions and events. We therefore really need mixed-use accommodation which enables us to maintain these revenue-generating resources.”
Comas would welcome help to find suitable new premises from individuals or businesses. The charity is looking for accommodation comprising a total area of around 250 square metres (including approximately 80 square metres for its 30-cover café, 80 square metres for its event space, 40 square metres for its offices and 20 square metres for meeting rooms).
In addition to seeking assistance with its search for a new home, Comas is appealing for financial support to cover costs of securing it with a deposit, and relocation and start-up expenses. The charity has contacted its supporters to request donations, set up a Go Fund Me Appeal at: https:// www.gofundme.com/saveourserenity , and is also encouraging people to help spread news of its plight to generate further public support by using the Twitter handles: #SOSedinburgh and @SerenityCafe .
Karen Stevenson, Chair of Comas, is keen to raise awareness of the importance to Edinburgh’s recovery community of the Serenity Café by sharing its, and her, story. Karen said: “The Serenity Café first began with a piece of paper, by way of a questionnaire. The recovery community in Edinburgh was growing but with no place of their own to socialise. Bars pubs and clubs were no longer an option.
“The questionnaire showed that there was a need for a safe space in the city so café club nights began. These were held on the last Friday of the month, planned and set up by volunteers. From this starting point the café grew from strength to strength and then we were fortunate enough to secure funding to have our very own premises. A movement had begun!
“The café blossomed and quickly became the heartbeat of the recovery community in Edinburgh. Interest grew and everyone wanted to know how this was working, with other recovery communities visiting to see how we achieved this. Membership grew and we were able to broaden our horizons and have a café space which was open to the recovery community and the wider public.
“We love our café and if you were to ask all the individuals who have been involved in our journey since that questionnaire, they will explain how much a space like this is needed.
“We can tell you about our first experience of dancing without the use of substances, the first time we brought in the New Year without a drink, or the first time we served a latte (which we made ourselves!) to a member of the public.
“And we will tell you too about the celebrations we’ve held in our beloved Serenity – from the birthdays of recovery community members to hosting a wedding!
“Please, help us keep our community flourishing by saving our Serenity.”
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