Welcome to your June newsletter
Visit by Danish politicians
The Heart has recently played host to three Danish politicians who visited us to find out about community-led dementia projects. About Dementia was contacted by representatives from the Municipality of Odense in Denmark, specifically the Department of the Elderly and Disabled and their original enquiry, about how we provide help and support to people with dementia and their carers was followed by a visit to the Heart to see how community-led activities can help and how they could learn from what we do.
“The visit went very well,” says Heart Chair Judy Crabb. “They do not have anything like the community-led provision we have at the Heart and were very impressed.
“They also reminded us of the connection with Odense as the birthplace of Hans Christian Anderson and the fact that he visited the Trinity area in 1847.”
And talking about Dementia, we have also welcomed a new, part-time dementia worker, Valeria Lembo, who will be seen about the site two days a week for the next six months.
She will be organising local projects in collaboration with Meeting Centres. Meeting Centres are social clubs where people living with dementia and their family carers can get help, support, and advice to adapt to the life-changes dementia brings, and were first set up in the Netherlands. The position is funded by Age Scotland.
Valeria is a PhD researcher in Health in Social Science, with a strong interest in community development and social inclusion through art, learning, and cultural engagement. She is passionate about building a fairer society that is dementia-inclusive.
Gala Day
We also hosted the Newhaven Gala last month when the playground was filled with what seemed like hundreds of excited fishwives and pirates.
The Gala has always been run by Victoria Primary School and this was the last one to be organised by Laura Thomson, the outgoing head teacher. As such, she was happy to announce that she is handing over the reins to the Heart to organise from now on, and we are very happy to run with them.
Apart from all the activities going on outside organised by the PTA, inside the Heart some of our partners including Ink on Mesh, The Victorian Schoolroom and Cass the bookbinder, were joined in running stalls by Newhaven Heritage, MacMillan Cancer Research, Newhaven Church and Scottish Women’s Institute.
There were also new heritage displays for visitors to see. So now that we’ve all returned to normal after the frenetic activity, we can look forward to another such successful Gala next year.
We were also pleased that one of our visitors on Gala Day recognised a photo of a past head teacher at Victoria Primary School.
Nancy Pryde was visiting as one of her grandsons, Thom, was Gala King and she immediately recognised Thomas Butcher who had been Head Teacher at VPS from 1941-1948 before he moved to Murrayburn School which is where Nancy knew him.
The photo brought back many memories of school days, including the day of Mr Butcher’s retirement.
News on new partners
We have two new partners at the Heart and almost all the spaces in the Victoria Building are now taken.
Vintage Vibes, who are still in the process of moving in, is a service tackling isolation and loneliness among over-60s in Edinburgh and they are setting up shop on the first floor.
They’re reaching out across the city, offering companionship, support and the chance to be more socially connected. Sometimes all it takes is a cup of tea and a natter.
They put volunteers and VIPs with shared interests together, to tackle loneliness by creating long-lasting friendships and fit perfectly with our themes of Learning & Enterprise contributing to Well-Being.
Tortoise in a Nutshell is an Edinburgh-based theatre charity that is already working in partnership on local projects with us. Their unique blend of puppetry, performance and innovation provides exciting visual theatre and thought-provoking experiences for audiences of all ages.
They are also based on the first floor and just a peek through the door at their theatre props, can fire up the imagination.
Environmental
Work on landscaping the grounds of the heart is pushing ahead. We’ve had tremendous help from Hayley from Homestart and a few volunteers who have been clearing the area and planting fruit bushes and small trees in the space beyond the Creel Building as well as growing new flowers and vegetables from seed inside, preparatory to moving them outside into the colourful receptacles provided by the Men’s Shed.
(If you like the plant holders, contact the Men’s Shed and they can make one for you.)
There are plans too for moving and painting the current sheds as well as creating compost and wormery bins. Future plans, including the creation of a pond and landscaped seating areas are being discussed but it all takes time and money!
If you’re interested in joining the green team, contact Lucy Metcalfe at Lucy.Metcalfe@heartofnewhaven.co.uk
Volunteering with us and our partners
Our partner the Victorian Schoolroom (History of Education Centre) has received over 600 appreciative visitors since they opened in January but they need more role-play teachers. Most visits are from primary schools, but they have also welcomed Alzheimers groups and carers as well as two overseas adult groups.
If you would like to get involved, contact either admin@histedcentre.org.uk or Heart Trustee Christine McDerment for more information. And by the way, you don’t need to have been a teacher!
The Heart is also still on the lookout for more volunteers. We need help manning the welcome and information desk especially on Wednesday and Saturday mornings and when the Heart is open for events.
Contact Kim or Roger at admin@heartofnewhaven.co.uk or drop in and have a chat with them.
As we head into summer, do remember that our open mornings on Wednesdays and Saturdays are still running. Even if it is less necessary to be “warm” these days, we are still “welcoming”. Drop in for a cup of coffee and a chat, or bring your internet or technology woes to be assisted by the experts from ACE-IT. There are also new heritage displays to study.
Remember too that our reminiscence volunteers will be at the Heart on14th June and 12th July. Come along and share your stories.
The Board of Trustees is still on the lookout for new members, particularly someone with financial skills. We would be delighted to chat with anyone who would like to know more. Contact judy.crabb@heartofnewhaven.co.uk
AGM 2023
We’re planning ahead. This year’s AGM will take place in September. Make sure you have signed up for membership (not just for receiving the newsletter). If you haven’t, check out the website and sign up now so that you can have your say in decision-making.
Trams to Newhaven
You must have heard, read and seen that the new city trams are about to start operating on the new extension that ends right at our doorstep. Getting to the Heart has never been easier.
Watch out for the first passenger trams running from 7th June and remember to cross the road and visit the Heart. We’re planning a special open event to celebrate on the afternoon of Friday 23rd June.
Finally, some special visitors
You can’t have helped but notice that it’s cruise time again and some visitors from the States have already found their way to the Heart.
We’ve had visitors from both Washington and Massachusetts, among other places, who enjoyed a chat and a tour around the building before they headed off to the centre of Edinburgh on their coach trips.
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