Category: Newhaven

Heart of Newhaven: July News

It’s July: a year since we got the keys to the Heart, a year to celebrate!

Summer is well and truly with us, and of course summer often means there is less happening, as everyone takes advantage of the good weather and the school holidays. So things have gone a little quieter at the Heart too, but that doesn’t mean there’s no news at all.

We have splendid news on the childcare front.

Daddy Daycare Edinburgh are opening a new childcare service at the Heart in August. They are providing after-school care for Trinity and Victoria primary schools and will be providing holiday clubs for all school children starting in October.

They have an open afternoon on Tuesday 15th August so check out their website to find out more:

www.daddydaycareedinburgh.com or call 0131 5168876.

News from Restoration Forth

The Ecology Centre is running a seagrass seed survey on 8th July to investigate the reproductive state of the seagrass meadow on Burntisland Sands where participants can expect to further their seagrass knowledge and develop skills in ecological surveying. These events are limited to 12 people each, so register your space by visiting The Ecology Centre’s What’s On page.

Where: Burntisland (Beacon Leisure Centre) 11:10am – Registration: www.theecologycentre.org/whats-on

For those of you who have been involved in the project so far, there will be a creative social event at the Royal Botanic Gardens on Sunday 9th July. Come along and meet others who have been taking part and create some Restoration Forth artwork together.

Where: The Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh – Registration: Eventbrite

Contribute to Heart Events

We continually receive questions about what is happening at the Heart. Well, that may be one question that you can answer. Trustee Norma Johnston leads the community projects team and would like to hear from you. Get in touch with her and join her band of local volunteers who are brainstorming ideas and helping organise events. It’s your community hub, so have a say in what happens in it. Contact Norma at norma.johnston@heartofnewhaven.co.uk

Dementia-Friendly Tea & Blether

On Wednesday, 5th July we hosted a themed conversation over a cuppa to imagine and create the new Dementia Meeting Centre, set to open in The Heart.

Meeting Centres are local resources where people living with dementia, unpaid carers, and families can access friendly, community-based support designed around their needs. They provide a social space where people with dementia and their loved ones can meet others and participate in activities they enjoy, based on their interests.

The event was attended by a group of 12, including volunteers, HONC staff, people living with dementia, and family members. The chat focused on getting to know one another and interest was expressed in gardening, themed conversations with tea and cake, games like bingo, dominos, or walking football, music, dance, and arts activities.

We had some good laughs and enjoyed eating Lesley’s delicious, home-baked muffins. The suggestions from this will inform our next programme of dementia-friendly activities at The Heart. 

We will meet again on Wednesday, 26th July, from 2 to 4 pm. If you have just received a diagnosis of dementia or are waiting for one, if you are a family member or a friend of a person living with dementia and would like to join, please get in touch!

We are also accepting donations to help purchase the games and art materials that would allow us to run our future dementia-friendly social activities. For any donations, expressions of interest, or questions, contact valeria.Lembo@heartofnewhaven.co.uk

Thank You Bright Green Environmental Solutions!

The Heart of Newhaven Community is incredibly grateful to Keirin Burns from BGE Solutions for the donation of 12 brilliant new chairs. They not only cater to the different access requirements of our visitors who attend our community activities but they are beautiful. We have already received positive feedback from those who have tried them out, and they find them very comfortable.

We would also like to extend ourgratitude to Fenella Kerr, a member of the Dementia Meeting Centre Advisory Group of The Heart of Newhaven, for connecting us with BGE Solutions.

More info on BGE Solutions at: https://www.brightgreenenvironmentalsolutions.com/

Around the Heart

With all the hot, sunny weather, our volunteer gardeners have been busy watering all the plant containers scattered about the grounds.

Here’s volunteer Judy Gray tending to some of the pots and lovely planters created by members of the Men’s Shed. You can order a planter for yourselves if you contact Men’s Shed in the Creel Building.

De-Cluttering

It may be summer, but some of our partners have been spring-cleaning. Some of them, notably the Men’s Shed and the History of Education Centre, will be holding a table top “sale” in the autumn when they will be offering up the gleanings from their tidying, but they are keen to start de-cluttering now, so get in touch with either of them and take the opportunity to pick up some excess tools, planters and other objects, old school scientific glassware perhaps suitable for vases or craftwork, or even illustrated books, all at bargain donation rates.

Get Creative

If you’re looking for something creative to do over the summer, then get in touch with our bookbinder Cass, who is running several workshops here at the Heart in July and August.

Choose from several different workshops  – Bitesize Bookbinding: Exposed long stitch binding, Bitesize Bookbinding: Case binding, Botanical Bookbinding mini retreat, Bitesize Bookbinding: Japanese stab Binding and Screen Print & Bookbinding, a 2-day collaborative workshop with Lorna Brown of Ink on Mesh.

They’re coming up at the Heart on 25 July and 1, 5 & 8, and 22 and 23 August. Just follow the link: https://bookbindingwithcass.com/in-person-workshops/  or email Cass at bookbindingwithcass@gmail.com

Finally, the next Leith folk club event is coming up on Tuesday 18 July, with young country singer Barbara Nesbitt swinging by as part of her UK tour.

The doors open at 7.30 for an 8pmstart. Advance booking isn’t usually necessary but it’s a good idea to drop a DM on the Leith Folk Club Facebook page to make sure they save you a seat.

Enjoy the rest of the summer and save the date: the 9th September will be our second AGM. What a year it’s been!

WHAT’S ON AT THE HEART

Scottish whaling memories captured in new project

Creation of new digital platform to provide a space to share this important part of Scottish social history

Over the next two years, the South Georgia Heritage Trust and the South Georgia Museum, with funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, will be working alongside a number of former whaling communities in Scotland to create The Whalers’ Memory Bank. 

The Memory Bank will create a living, growing digital time capsule where veterans of the whaling industry, their families and communities can come together to contribute and share their stories with a wider audience. 

The story of modern whaling in the Southern Hemisphere is a controversial one with British companies playing a key role in the industry. These companies had a largely Scottish workforce and attracted many working-class men with the promise of adventure and competitive wages.

Now, only a dwindling number of men survive that have first-hand memories of this industry, an integral part of Scottish social history. They are the last generation to be able to share their stories, knowledge and personal collections before they are lost forever.

Kicking off in July 2023, the project will run for two years and throughout this time the project team will work alongside former whaling communities to capture memories that will help create The Whalers’ Memory Bank.

At the heart of this will be a series of community events to gather stories and help shape the Memory Bank that those communities want to see and will value. It will also make the connection between why whaling happened, where it happened (a great deal of it on South Georgia), and where most of the whalers came from in Scotland.

Jayne Pierce, Project Director and Curator at the South Georgia Museum said: “Our aim is to create a digital portal that captures memories with photographs, oral histories, film and sounds, alongside a Virtual Reality tour of the whaling station on South Georgia. This work will be done using the existing collections held by the South Georgia Museum and will also link into several Scottish museums that are partners in this project.

“It is really going to be a joint effort, bringing together the former whalers and their communities to hear their stories and let them help shape the Memory Bank they really want to see. We know from the contact we already have with the former whaling communities that families are eager to share their personal collections – artefacts and photographs stored in attics, cupboards and drawers – each with a story to tell.

“We really hope the project will connect communities across local, national and international boundaries and dispel some of the myths around whaling. It will create a richer experience than a simple online database – dynamic rather than static – uplifting and celebratory.”

Gibbie Fraser, Chair of the Shetland ex-Whalers Association (SeA) hasstruggled to access archive material which can be restricted by charges and copyright. On the launch of the Whalers’ Memory Bank, he said: “The idea that the South Georgia Museum has about a shared archive to preserve what we can together is exactly what we were trying to do and welcome it with open arms!”

Caroline Clark, Heritage Fund Director for Scotland, said: “Thanks to the support of National Lottery players , we are pleased to be able to give funding to former whaling communities to capture their stories and explore this important untold story.

“We look forward to seeing the project develop as communities come together to share their memories and personal collections with each other and the wider world.”

The project is also a great opportunity to work with a small network of partner museums including the Scottish Fisheries Museum in Anstruther, the Scottish Maritime Museum in Irvine, and Dundee Heritage Trust’s Verdant Works, all of which hold hidden whaling archives and collections that are enlightening, inspiring, and engaging.

As well as supporting with access to collections and stories, some of these organisations will also be involved in the community events the project will be developing for Spring 2024. The Shetland Maritime Heritage Society, Salvesen Ex-Whalers Club and the Shetland ex-Whalers Association will also be collaborating on the project. 

Anyone interested in finding out more or getting involved with the project should email memorybank@sght.org

News from Heart of Newhaven

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.

What makes a strong community?

What do you think makes a strong community?
 How can we improve or change things for the better? 
Are you interested in climate and environmental issues?
 
Your voice and opinion matters!
 
June 7th 
 
Workshop 1    10.30 – 12.00 am
Workshop 2      7.00 –  8.30 pm
 
 
You are warmly invited to come along to a relaxed and informal workshop and be part of a conversation about these questions.  We’ll have free refreshments on offer and the discussion will be supported by a couple of facilitators who will help guide the discussion.  No previous knowledge is required, we simply hope you will bring along your thoughts, opinion insights and hopes for your community’s future.  
 
Please let me know if you’d like to take part in one of these sessions by emailing lynne.porteous@heartofnewhaven.co.uk and letting me know whether the morning or evening workshop works best for you.  Please also let us know if you have any specific dietary requirements.


 
This event is organised by Restoration Forth, Heart of Newhaven and WWF (World Wildlife Fund) to gather information on community resilience.  Your contribution is voluntary and confidential, but the anonymised results from discussions will be used to build a better picture of people’s perceptions, attitudes and practices around the Firth of Forth and the local community 

It’s Newhaven Gala Day!

Everyone is welcome to join us on this fun family day!

Gala Queen, Rosie Cruikshank, and Fisher King, Thom Pryde, with their entourage, will arrive by boat in Newhaven Harbour around 11:00 am and make their way up to The Heart of Newhaven where they will be crowned by Newhaven Heritage’s Dougie Ratcliffe.

Victoria Primary P1 and P7 children will be at the harbour to meet our Gala Queen and Fisher King wearing traditional costumes.

Our theme for the Gala this year will be pirates and everyone is welcome to dress up and join the procession from Newhaven Harbour to The Heart of Newhaven (dressing up is optional).

After the coronation, there will be games and stalls, hot food and ice cream, as well as tea and coffee.

Celebrate! Wardie Bay Beach Party

Wardie Bay is a Scottish Bathing Water in 2023!

On 8th June, World Ocean Day, 7pm-late, please come and celebrate the Wardie Bay Bathing Water designation.

Bring a costume, friends and something to drink or nibble and we’ll hopefully sing to the sea with gratitude to everyone involved in making this finally happen.

THANK YOU !!!

#WardieBay4BathingWater