Tag: Fresh Start

Port of Leith’s Covid Response Fund supports local community organisations

Port of Leith Housing Association’s (PoLHA) £50,000 Covid Response Fund has provided 18 awards of between £500 and £2,500 to local charities and social enterprises that are rising to the challenge of alleviating the effects of the coronavirus epidemic on people living in the community.

Grants to six additional organisations are also being processed.

With a remit to fast track flexible access to grants where they will have the quickest benefits, the Fund has already helped provide emergency food provision for isolated or vulnerable people, purchased vital equipment to allow third sector staff to carry on supporting service users from home and helped a wide range of people (from older adults to school-age children) access vital online services and education during lock down.

PoLHA Group Chief Executive, Heather Kiteley, said: “Organisations across Leith and North Edinburgh seem to have adjusted to the new challenges created by lockdown astonishingly quickly. 

“They’ve been able to change both the ways they are working as well as the nature of the services they deliver in a few short weeks or even days.

“We’re thrilled to be able to support the life-changing work of community organisations through our Covid Response Fund which is helping organisations to create and develop crucial new services, from emergency food packages for vulnerable people isolating at home, to helping older adults bridge the digital divide and keep in touch with people.

“We hope to secure more funding to support even more organisations in the weeks ahead.”

Elaine Brown from the Edinburgh Remakery, which received a £2,000 grant from the Fund to provide refurbished laptop computers for vulnerable people in Leith to help them access digital services and keep in touch with loved ones, said: “Thank you so much for supporting the Edinburgh Remakery.

“This grant will not only support us in these challenging times, it will allow us to help vulnerable people within Leith and north Edinburgh to stay connected.”

The Milan Senior Welfare Organisation, which provides a range of services for older people from South Asian communities in Edinburgh and Lothian to meet their social, cultural, recreational, language and care needs, received a grant to buy laptops and phones to help staff work remotely, issue newsletters to keep in touch with service users and also buy bags and containers for hot food deliveries.

Sophia Latif from Milan Senior Welfare Organisation commented: “Funding like this is a lifeline to charities like us, especially when processed in such a timely manner.” 

West Pilton-based Fresh Start, which helps people who have been homeless to get set up in their new homes and settle in their community, received funding to support the most vulnerable individuals and families across Edinburgh by providing them with emergency packs of essential food, toiletries and cleaning products.

Freh Start’s Jen McQuistan said: “This funding will make a big difference to the people we are supporting, especially during these challenging times.”

All funds have now been allocated but PoLHA are very hopeful of securing more funding to distribute soon – keep an eye on www.polha.co.uk and on Twitter @PortofLeithHA /Facebook

Fresh Start is ESPC’s new charity partner

ESPC has announced that their charity partner for the upcoming year is Fresh Start, the North Edinburgh based organisation helping people who have been homeless get established in their new home.

They work with volunteers and organisations from across the local community to deliver a range of services that provide the practical and social support that help people resettle successfully. Each year they help thousands of new tenants settle into their homes.

Paul Hilton, CEO of ESPC, said: “We are really excited to be working with Fresh Start over the next year. The service they provide to the local community is fantastic. The whole team will get involved with volunteering and fundraising to help Fresh Start provide support to the thousands of new tenants they help settle into homes every year.”

Fresh Start’s Jen McQuistan said: “We are absolutely delighted to be selected as ESPC’s chosen charity for 2019/20. As a small local charity, the fundraising they’ll be doing throughout the year and the awareness raised will make a big difference to the people Fresh Start support.

“The ESPC team have already started planning some exciting fundraising events and we also hope to get them involved in Starter Pack collections and possibly some volunteering days throughout the year, so it is already set to be a successful partnership.

“All of this support will allow us to raise awareness of the issues surrounding homelessness and help fund direct service costs that help some of the most vulnerable people across Edinburgh.

“Through ESPC’s help we can make a real difference to those affected by homelessness and provide them with the social and practical support they need to move forward with their lives.”

 

 

Fresh Start Community Picnic at North Edinburgh Arts

Fresh Start Community Picnic

Thursday 11th July from 4 – 7pm

at North Edinburgh Arts

Working with partners across Edinburgh and with volunteer teams, Fresh Start support people previously homeless to ‘make a home’ for themselves in new tenancies. We enable them to resettle in their community, providing volunteering opportunities that offer practical and emotional support, helping them develop life skills, and involving church members and the wider community in our work to end homelessness.

We achieve this by providing essential household goods and decorating services to help people set up home. We also help those who are unemployed gain skills, experience and qualifications that will increase their employability – including gardening, cooking and employability training.

In addition to the practical support we provide, Fresh Start service-users have identified the need for support to help them feel at home in their new community as well as in their new tenancy. They highlighted the advantages that would come from being able to get to know local people, to develop skills and be able to access services and opportunities in a neighbourhood location and be able to get involved in community activities including  in evenings and at weekends.

Fresh Start has been based in North Edinburgh for 20 years and we now have the opportunity to take over some currently unused adjacent premises to create a community hub.

Working with other community organisations, we have been looking at ways in which we can bring this space back into community use. We want to create a hub that will work for the whole community ensuring that people new to the area have access to a space where they can meet with local people, develop skills and make a contribution to the community.

To make sure that this becomes a place where people can feel part of, and connected to, their local community we want to know what you would like to see happening in the Hub.

We would appreciate it if you would complete the questionnaire below.  This should take no more than 10 minutes.
All answers are confidential. If you want more information or additional copies of the survey, please contact Wilma at Community Enterprise – Tel: 01506 862227.
All survey responses (including those collected on paper) are recorded on Survey Monkey whose privacy policy can be viewed here.
Community Enterprise’s privacy policy can be viewed here

Fresh Start seeks your views on new Community Hub

Fresh Start are looking to create a community Hub in North Edinburgh. Working with other community organisations, we have been looking at ways in which we can work with the whole community ensuring that people new to the area have access to a space where they can meet with local people, develop skills and make a contribution to the community. Continue reading Fresh Start seeks your views on new Community Hub

Courier delivers Fresh Start to the homeless

A LEADING courier company has been using its scale for good by helping homeless people in the capital get a fresh start. Eagle Couriers has been teaming up with Edinburgh-based charity, Fresh Start, to spread the news of how volunteering and donations can help ‘people make a home for themselves’.

The firm, which is based in Bathgate, currently delivers 5,000 newsletters for the charity each year, circulating news of Fresh Start’s appeals and fundraising – and has committed to continue delivering the leaflets in 2019. Over the last few years, free distribution of the newsletters by the courier company has saved the charity around £3,000.

Biddy Kelly, Managing Director at Fresh Start, said: “Fresh Start is extremely grateful for all the support we receive.  

“From volunteering with our services to donating essential household items for our Starter Packs, this help ensures that we are able to continue supporting some of the most vulnerable people in our communities.

“We cannot thank Eagle Couriers enough for their help in delivering our newsletters. They have been doing so for the last few years and have helped to spread the word of what we do and what we want to achieve.

“Homelessness is still a worryingly big problem in our community, but the support from businesses, groups and individuals who donate goods, money or their time does bring some comfort to the situation.”

Set up 20 years ago in West Pilton, Fresh Start’s mission is to help people make a home for themselves by providing them with the everyday essentials needed to turn an empty shell into a home.

Through cooking classes and growing spaces, the charity offers opportunities for people to learn new skills, build confidence and self-esteem. The organisation’s training initiative also provides those who are unemployed with skills, experience and qualifications to get back into the workplace.

Fiona Deas, Co-Director of Eagle Couriers, said: “The team at Eagle Couriers is delighted to be able to help Fresh Start get individuals who have been sleeping rough back living in safe and secure homes.

“It’s the little things that we take for granted in life, like having a warm place to sleep and the tools to make a meal when you are hungry. Those who have lost their home don’t always have the basics on hand when they first move in to new accommodation.

“By delivering the charity’s newsletters free of charge, we hope that we can help spread the message and the fantastic work that all of those involved do to give homeless people in the community a lifeline.

“At this time of year it is more important than ever to consider those who may need a hand in order to get back on their feet. We can all do our bit to help.”

With Christmas fast approaching, Fresh Start is ensuring people who are and have experienced homelessness are receiving the help they need through its annual Cookers for Christmas Appeal.

Biddy added: “After someone has experienced a period of homelessness, a cooker for their new home is a luxury that unfortunately many cannot afford.

“Around the Christmas period this lack of amenity is felt further as the messages of indulging in delicious treats and sitting down for tasty meals are shown almost at the turn of every corner.

“Fresh Start wants to make this a reality for people who have been homeless and provide them with a brand new cooker, fully fitted by a trained and professional team.

“Any small donation would be gratefully welcomed and will go towards providing someone with a new cooker that will make a real difference to their festive period and their life going forward.”

You can donate to Fresh Start’s Cookers for Christmas Appeal online by visiting https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/cookersforChristmas2018 or by sending a cheque to 22-24 Ferry Road Drive, Edinburgh, EH4 4BR.

Other goods the charity are looking for people to donate over the Christmas period include cleaning products, new pots and pans sets, toiletries, food goods and light bulbs.

To find out more about Fresh Start visit www.freshstartweb.org.uk

Eagle Couriers is Scotland’s leading courier firm with more than 32 years’ experience. More information about the company can be found at www.eaglecouriers.co.uk