Tag: assets transfer

Dreams to Reality: Heart of Newhaven latest

Where have the past two years gone? On 4th October 2018 in Victory Primary School there were lots of ideas on what the Community could do here once the children moved to their new school, then still in the planning stages.

We were warned that our dreams would take time and effort and there were delays. The new school building, first scheduled to be opened last August, will be completed one day despite, like so much else, being affected by Covid 19. We are working steadily on ways to promote a better normal as soon as we can. More on that next time.

Meanwhile the Heart of Newhaven Community with our iconic logo is steadily growing with people like you keen to support our programme of ideas.

This update comes hard on the heels of one you may have just received about Membership of our SCIO – Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation. It’s a bit technical, so I’ll try to explain.

We registered the Heart of Newhaven Community SCIO SC049919, as the first step to qualify for the Community Asset Transfer of Victoria Primary School.

Our SCIO constitution allows different categories of membership and the letter sent recently showed which one we think fits you as you register, as I hope you will.

Depending on which category you fall into, membership will give you a vote at meetings and so enable you to have your say in deciding what happens.

The “Asset” (the whole of the current school site) to be “Transferred” will belong to the Charity on behalf of the whole community: so the name Heart of Newhaven Community is apt.

But it’s not just a place. The beating pulse of the whole community already exists in people – YOU! – living human beings. A really good way to help create what the name shows is to register on the form you’ve hopefully been sent.

If you have any questions about membership, haven’t had a letter, or think you received the wrong one, then you can find out more HERE on the website. If you’re still in doubt, please feel free to contact me directly at  chair@heartofnewhaven.co.uk and I’ll try to help.

But you will also continue to receive this more general Mailchimp email at least every month unless you unsubscribe if you no longer want to be bothered. Surely not! This is how you can keep up to date.

I hope the next one will be more exciting but we are definitely not just dreaming the time away and the next two years should be very impressive.

Rodney Matthews
Chair and Vision Facilitator, The Heart of Newhaven Community

City projects receive backing from Scottish Land Fund

£156,000 for North Edinburgh Arts 

North Edinburgh’s flagship arts centre in Muirhouse and land for a new community hub in Juniper Green are amongst 21 groups that are set to share in £1,667,987 from the Scottish Land Fund. 

North Edinburgh Arts (NEA) has received £156,000 in order to take ownership of its current building, which it intends to extend and upgrade to create more space for additional enterprise units and a larger cafe. 

And Pentlands Community Space has been given £33,000 to buy a disused public toilet in Lanark Road, Juniper Green in order to demolish it and build a community hub and flat for affordable rent. 

Lesley Hinds, Chair, North Edinburgh Arts, said: “NEA has won five national awards in the last six years for place making and creative projects. This new capital project will allow the organisation to flourish, alongside Council provision, and bring a first-class facility to Macmillan Square.  

“NEA is a special place for the community of North Edinburgh and has been a trusted community anchor providing emergency food, support, materials and online creative activities throughout the lockdown. 

“Alongside our COVID activity of the last five months we have been working closely with partners to share and establish our vision of a world class creative hub for the next generation of North Edinburgh residents.  This award from the Scottish Land Fund is an important and welcome next step on this exciting journey.” 

NEA’s Director Kate Wimpress added: “The bright blue NEA building has been a beacon of hope for many throughout the lockdown, and an important part of the North Edinburgh landscape over the last decade.

“Today’s endorsement from the Scottish Land Fund, following on from the Council’s agreement for this much loved and used asset to come fully into community ownership, takes NEA , and our community, another step closer to our vision becoming a reality. We are looking forward to building a first class facility fit for purpose for today, and for the years to come”

Professor Cliff Beevers OBE, Chairman, Pentlands Community Space, said: “The Pentlands Community Space project is planning to demolish an abandoned public toilet block and replace it with a two-storey building providing a much-needed Community Hub downstairs with an affordable flat above.  

“Rental from the flat will be used to sustain activities in the Hub.  This project, several years in the making, is a genuine collaborative effort which is using the talents and time of many residents in this part of South-West Edinburgh.” 

Minister, Cabinet Secretary for Land Reform, Roseanna Cunningham, said: “Communities across the country are playing a pivotal role in helping create a fairer and greener Scotland as we respond to the coronavirus pandemic. 

“The latest round of Scottish Land Fund grants – provided to 21 different community groups – will go towards projects that will provide locals with better access to green space, encourage wildlife and support community business. With this funding being awarded during Climate Week, I look forward to these projects seizing the opportunity to help our green recovery.” 

 John Watt, Scottish Land Fund Committee Chair said: “Groups from all across Scotland are making a real impact to their communities with a wide range of ambitious projects that deliver tangible benefits to the people who live there, and the Scottish Land Fund is delighted to be able to support them.” 

Sandra Holmes, Head of Community Assets at HIE, said: “These successful projects announced today are all fantastic examples of people taking control of local resources for the long-term benefit of their communities.

“Applecross Community Company for example, will be able to purchase, restock and improve the local woods to provide access to the community as well as buy land to build affordable homes.  

“Ownership will give these communities greater control over important assets and will help ensure their long-term future. We wish all the successful groups the very best in their new ventures.”