Heart of Newhaven – Page 2 – The NEN

Heart of Newhaven April Newsletter

From Holyrood to the Heart

Last month we told you about a ministerial visit by Baron Cameron of Lochiel. Only a few weeks after that visit, we hosted another, this time from MSP Mairi Gougeon. Ms Gougeon, who is Holyrood’s Cabinet Minister for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands, was visiting us in part to find out how smoothly or otherwise the process of acquiring the Heart for the community had been and also to announce that there would be a review into the Community Right To Buy process which will begin this summer.

During her visit she spoke to several of the Heart partners, including Chair of HEC (History of Education Centre), Alice Bacciarelli and potter Borja Moronta.

“It was wonderful to meet so many of the team and visitors at Heart of Newhaven and hear how they are offering a hub for the community,” said Ms Gougeon. “To see how much they have achieved is remarkable, especially when so much of it had to be done in the face of all the additional difficulties caused by the pandemic.

“Their dedication to offering space to artists and looking at so many different ways to bring people together is really impressive and I look forward to hearing about their future plans.”

Staffing changes

We have recently welcomed a new caretaking team of three to the Heart; Mike, Johnrobert and Emmanuel. They can be found beavering busily round and about the buildings at all hours.

Please make them welcome.

By having three members in the team, we hope to be able to eventually enable full access to the site as well as ensure added security.

Thanks to further funding, from Age Scotland and the Heritage Lottery Fund, we have also been able to appoint two new project staff, both of whom started in March.

A new Dementia Meeting Centre Manager, Jan Bee Brown, started working three days per week from March 6. Jan is a well known local story teller and was with us at the start of our Heart journey and so we are pleased to welcome her back after three years working in Shetland. She has plenty of relevant experience resulting from her role as a part-time Dementia Advisor with Alzheimer Scotland.

Alongside this new team, we are happy to announce that our staff members Roger Walpole and Kim Thomson have been confirmed in their positions as Centre Manager and Centre Administrator respectively following the initial transition period of the Heart. We hope they will both be with us for some time to come.

Meeting Centre activities

The Meeting Centre at Heart of Newhaven is excited to be partnering with Healing Arts Scotland to take part in their ITAC Healing Arts Week Relay. Meeting Centre Artist in Residence, Willy Gilder, will be hosting three playful creative workshops together with Fenella Kerr and Jan Brown on: Wednesday 10th, 17th & 24th April at Heart of Newhaven 1.30pm – 3.30 pm.

Come along and get creative with like minds, all materials will be provided plus tea and cake to help get the creative juices flowing.

Session 1. Wednesday 10th April – ‘Mapping the Mind’ with Fenella Kerr

Session 2. Wednesday 17th April – ‘Creating with Clay’ with Jan Brown

Session 3. Wednesday 21st April – ‘Drawn to the Dance’ with Jan Brown

All sessions are free and dementia inclusive. If you would more information contact Jan Brown at jan.brown@heartofnewhaven.co.uk

Our response will be part of Scottish Ballet’s partnership with Healing Arts Week in partnership with The Edinburgh International Festival this summer.

Our ‘Schooldays’ Heritage Lottery Fund coordinator, Simone Kenyon also started two days per week from the end of March.

Simone will be leading the community team’s latest project, which will bring together pupils from the local schools in the area, together with older residents and Heart partners, to share memories of their schooldays and leave a lasting legacy for generations to come. More details in the weeks to come.

Gardening group update

Funding has arrived in our bank account for the Community Garden project which began in March and Hayley, our sessional worker, is organising a number of intergenerational sessions on Monday afternoons and Thursday mornings. Do come and admire the continuing developments in the garden.

These include: new high, easily accessed planters and new compost bins, all kindly built by Leith Mens Shed; a beautifully woven willow screen to hide the road, created and donated by Judy Gray, seen at work in the photo; a “dead hedge”, also part of the screening process; lots of seedlings sprouting and potatoes chitting by the Anchor Building windows.

With the Lottery funding we have bought lots of new tools for volunteers and visiting groups to use, and other immediate plans include raising the height of the existing beds, surrounding them with wood chip paths, siting and filling the high planters and acquiring more shrubs and climbers to grow along the north fence.

New volunteers, experienced gardeners or those keen to learn, are always very welcome at Hayley’s sessions. Ask for details in The Heart or contact her directly to learn more: bloomyogaedinburgh@gmail.com.

Our Christmas Tree project has really taken off and we now have an army of knitters handing in squares as well as those people who have joined our knit and natter sessions.

Primary school children, church groups, line dancers, knitting circles, knitters from London, Inverness, Sleaford and Lancashire are just some of the knitters who are contributing to our growing bundles of squares.

We are approaching our first 1,000 and 150 decorations but we need many more and it will be you, who by knitting and spreading the word, will keep the momentum going.

Knit and natter groups meet in the Heart on Tuesdays at 7.15 till 8.30 and on Wednesday and Saturday mornings from 10 till 12.

Happy knitting!

13th April – Scran and a Song

As well as our Open For Coffee morning on Saturday 13th April, the Scran Van will be rolling up to provide some free lunches from 12.30. There will be a limited number, so get there early.

The food will be accompanied by performances from the Mens’ Shed and there will also be bicycle maintenance from Euan from EZ Bike Tours.

Bring your bike along for a wee tune up and advice. More details online or on our social media.

Remember to check our website and social media regularly.

For example have you seen the latest addition to the Culture & Heritage blog page? It features an interview with Cassandra Baron, one of the Heart’s resident creative Partners. (We featured Borja Moronta a few months ago: all you need to do is scroll down till you find it.)

All our Partners produce a lot of wonderful work and we don’t have space to feature them all in our regular newsletters, but we hope to include more about them on the website. So remember, check it out regularly.

Congratulations

Talking of Partners, we’d like to congratulate Neil Smith our Partner and resident composer, who had a piece of his work premiered recently in the Reid Concert Hall. We didn’t know about it in time for the March newsletter’ belated congratulations, Neil.

He shared a stage with three other premiered pieces of music, with his contribution – Regular Music, a piece for piano and nine-piece ensemble. He’s pictured with the ensemble along with conductor Oliver Cope.

Ssh!

Finally, don’t tell anyone, but the Heart has been chosen as the setting for some scenes in a new film currently under production. We are thrilled to be part of something so exciting but we can’t tell you too many details yet.

All we can say is that someone famous will be on set! You’ll have to watch this space. Meanwhile, we have to apologise in advance to anyone using the building on Monday 15th April when filming will be happening on the ground floor of the Victoria Building and in the playground.

There will also be preparatory work and then reinstating afterwards so be prepared!

News from Heart of Newhaven

Welcome to your March newsletter

The Heart welcomes Lord Cameron of Lochiel

New Scotland Office minister Donald Cameron included the Heart in his first official visit on Thursday 22nd February.

Mr Cameron, now Lord Cameron of Lochiel, has sat in Holyrood since 2016 but quit the Scottish Parliament in February for the House of Lords and a position in the Scottish Office at Westminster.

As well as the Heart, he also visited Granton’s historic gas holder, which is being restored as the centrepiece of a new public space in the regeneration of the waterfront and Portobello Town Hall, recently rescued for the community by a local charity much like ourselves here at the Heart.

All three projects have recently received much-welcomed funding from Westminster’s Levelling Up Fund.

Lord Cameron met many of the Heart’s Partners and users, including the Ukranian Spiders, Mwamba, Vintage Vibes, Robert Furze and some of the History of Education volunteers who were coincidentally hosting a visit from Primary 7 pupils from Victoria Primary School.

He also spoke to Alex Bird from Tortoise in a Nutshell, Charlie Traylor from Men of Leith’s Shed, volunteer Judy Gray hard at work on our knitted Christmas Tree project, and artist Jill Boualaxai, so he got a good overview of the many skeins bound up within the Heart.

Building work at the Heart

The emergency conservation works including roof and window repairs are being undertaken by a team from our contractors, Ashwood, led by site foreman, Findlay and should be finished by the end of March.

Ashwood will then return in April to fit a couple of stones and install some new windows that are being cut or made off site. (Did you know that when you need to replace stone, a stone “library” is brought to site so that the stone can be matched?)

Most of those repairs won’t be visible, but were very necessary to get the building wind and water tight, before we embark on future works to bring the building into the 21st century in terms of repair and energy efficiency for the comfort and use of all.

In the meantime, people might see safety scaffolding going up in the atrium for a few weeks, and our apologies in advance to our Partners and user groups who may experience some disruption as windows are repaired.

We must give a huge shout out to our funders without whom we couldn’t have done all this; The Department of Levelling Up, National Lottery Heritage Fund, Historic Environment Scotland and The Pilgrim Trust and of course there’s also the Design Team who specialise in the conservation of listed buildings in community use, led by John Gilbert Associates.

Hear About… talks

Our Hear About… talks taking place in the Heritage Suite on Friday afternoons have been proving very popular, with up to three dozen people attending each of the various events.

They will continue to run until the first Friday in April and then we will pause them over the summer and restart them in the autumn.

Here are the next scheduled talks …

Friday 8th March – Bill Hall on the Newhaven fishing industry

Friday 15th March – Kenneth Williamson on the old Caledonian Railway between Leith and Granton

Friday 22nd March – Niall Campbell on birds of the Isle of May

Friday 5th April – Anna Inman on the Restoration Forth project

More details on the website.

Volunteer to help and get a guaranteed place in the action!

We are keen to recruit a team of volunteers to help with the logistics of the talks. We need to set up the chairs (and rearrange them again at the end) in the Heritage Suite as well as welcome attendees and then serve teas and coffees at the end.

Would you be willing to lend a hand? Contact christine.mcderment@heartofnewhaven.co.uk or admin@heartofnewhaven.co.uk if you’d like to help.

It may be the end of the Spring talks in April, but we already have talks lined up for the autumn, including one on the Hill & Adamson photographs of Newhaven fishwives, from Louise Pearson of the National Portrait Gallery and another on Celtic folklore and the mythical sea creatures of Newhaven. Watch this space!

Death Cafés at the Heart of Newhaven

A death cafe is described as a safe place where people can feel free to talk about anything they wish, to do with death and dying.

On Saturday morning, 27th January we held our very first death café when fourteen people attended and the feedback was very positive. The discussions were enjoyed by all and there was delicious cake.

There will be more death cafés at the Heart on Saturday mornings of April 27th, July 27th and October 19th, all 10.00 am to 12.00 noon. Please arrive around 9.45 for welcome and coffee.

Remember our regular Events

Monday lunch club

The Cyrenian Lunch Club takes place at the Heart every Monday from 12.30 until 2pm. The lunches are free and open to all (advise in advance if you have allergies)

They’ll be serving a nutritious two-course meal along with tea/coffee. Some weeks there will also be entertainment to enjoy!

Sharing the Past meetings at the Heart are now taking place on the last Thursday of every month and the next one will be on Thursday 28th March.

Come along and reminisce with our Reminiscence volunteers. The topic changes every time. All on a Thursday at 10.30 -1130 am.

Keep up to date with all the regular events and activities by checking our website or following us on social media.

Oyster Mural

Remember too to get involved in the Restoration Forth project to create a mural for one of the outside walls of the Anchor Building. There will be a get-together to discuss plans, with coffee and cake at the Heart on Saturday 23rd March at 10am.

You can find out more on our website or follow the link below:

The Friends of Western Harbour Ponds have asked us to help raise awareness of their fight to save the re-wilded space now home to numerous bird species and a precious haven for humans too.

A petition calling on The City of Edinburgh Council and The Scottish Government to “recognise the value of the self-willed wetland habitat for nature and for people, and to help save it from development” has so far gathered more than 3,000 signatures.

You can find out more about the campaign at Save Western Harbour Ponds

If you’re keen to help document the biodiversity of the Ponds and other spots in Edinburgh, pop 26 to 29 April in your diary!

The City Nature Challenge is an annual worldwide bioblitz to record wildlife and plant life in cities, with the Edinburgh project coordinated by RSPB Scotland.

Heart of Newhaven: February News

Welcome to your February newsletter

We hope you have survived the recent cold weather!

Friends and supporters cooried in with us recently, enjoying exploring the ever-improving facilities and meeting our partners and trustees.

Some of them even joined Norma and her knitters as they continue their work on next year’s Christmas tree.

The pile of green squares is growing as are the decorations and we are receiving more and more intimations of participation from all over the country, from London to Inverness, including Conwy North Wales and Southport Merseyside.

Why not join the expanding groups of knitters and natterers and support a good cause?

More information on the website and social media or contact
thetree@heartofnewhaven.co.uk

Dementia funding

We are happy to announce the Heart is one of 12 recipients of recent funding awards from Age Scotland, to “build on the difference we are already making”.
The funding will cover the post of our Dementia Centre Manager for a further 12 months.

We will be open one afternoon a week and continue to co-produce a programme of activities that meets members’ needs and interests as well as develop a programme for family carers.

Watch this space and our social media outlets for further news.

Building repairs

You may have noticed the scaffolding being erected around the Victoria Building towards the end of last month.

This is thanks to part of the grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund award, plus further funding from The Pilgrim Trust, Historic Environment Scotland and The Community Ownership Fund (Department of Levelling Up) involving essential repairs to the roof and windows.

Work is progressing well and we hope it will be complete by the end of March ensuring the old building is waterproof and cosy, not to mention more eco-friendly!

Ukranian cooking

The local Ukranian Community are also running a cooking workshop at the Heart on Saturday 3rd February from 12 till 2pm. Come along and learn how to make Ukrainian dishes!

This time they are making pierogies, also known as varenyky or dumplings, both sweet and savoury kinds, with three kinds of stuffing: mashed potato, sweet cottage cheese, and cherries.

Use the link to book your space:

Ukrainian cooking workshop: sweet and savoury varenyky Tickets, Sat 3 Feb 2024 at 12:00 | Eventbrite

Next Coorie-In

We are very pleased to be able to invite you to our ‘Coorie-In for Winter’ event at The Heart on Monday 5th February, 2 – 3.30 p.m. This is a great opportunity to mingle with our partners and groups to find out what’s on offer here at The Heart and how YOU can get involved!

Come along and browse the information stalls, chat directly with partners and group facilitators, visit the Heritage Suite and the Victorian Schoolroom!

Book now for your summer Victorian experience

One of our very first partners, the History of Education Centre (HEC aka the Victorian Schoolroom) has asked us to let everyone know that they are available for bookings over the summer holidays.

So if you know of a group of adults or children, perhaps a community group or an after-school club, that would like to experience the Victorian Schoolroom and adjacent Victorian Homelife Exhibit, tell them to get in touch with HEC via: histedcentre@gmail.com

Visits normally last around two hours but can be adapted to your preferences.
Check out their website for further details : histedcentre.org.uk

Eyemouth Disaster wall plaques search

If you’ve checked the Heart’s Culture & Heritage blog recently, you will know that our heritage lead, Christine, is looking for information on a series of wall plaques that were created for the families of the 17 fishermen who drowned in the Eyemouth Disaster in 1881.

Read the blog on the website for more details and get in touch with Christine at christine.mcderment@heartofnewhaven.co.uk if you know if any of them still exist.

Your ideas for our oyster mural

Would you like to be involved in creating a mural for our Anchor Building?

Restoration Forth is working with mural artist Natasha Russell to celebrate oyster reintroduction in the Firth of Forth and cultural connections to oysters.

We would love to hear your ideas for how you would like the mural to look and what imagery it could include.

Share your thoughts by filling out this online form:

– https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx…

or pop into The Heart and submit a drawing or written ideas.

There are paper forms you can pick up with some questions and a space for creative design sharing.

Work with us on our next big heritage project

We are seeking an enthusiastic and experienced project worker (two days per week) to coordinate and deliver a Heritage Lottery Fund funded project: ‘Our Schooldays’- memories and legacies’ – Heritage tales from Newhaven, Trinity and Leith Harbour’.

The post is funded from April 2024 for 18 months and will be based in the Heart. The project will use the heritage of schooldays as a means of bringing people together, enabling participants of all ages, ethnicities and backgrounds to learn more about each other, by sharing experiences and memories.

We are looking for a highly motivated individual with experience of community development work.

Click here to complete the application form.

Contact lynne.porteous@heartofnewhaven.co.uk if you have any questions about the position. Closing date for applications: February 12th, interviews scheduled for 26th February

Hear About …

Remember to come along to our series of winter talks, Hear About, all on Friday afternoons at 3pm. The next ones will be:

Friday 2nd February – City archaeologist John Lawson on what emerged from the tram extension,

Friday 9th February – Jane Evans on the Newhaven Witches,

16th February – Gillian Gray on Your Heart,

23rd February – archaeologist Rob Engl on the playground excavation.

Check the website and social media for further details.

The talks are free but it’s useful to have an idea of numbers so please advise us at admin@heartofnewhaven.co.uk if you’d like to come along and if you have mobility issues.

Come and enjoy a trip down memory lane

The next meeting of the Reminiscence Group will be at the Heart on Thursday 22nd February. The session runs from 10.30 – 11.30 am. What will be the topic this time? Come and find out.

The sessions will now run on the last Thursday of every month, at the same time, so check your calendars and mark off the days!

Next month

Watch out for the next Leith folk Club event, being held in the Heart on 5th March when the Tannahill Weavers will be stopping by.

Check out their website at www.leithfolkclub.com and reserve your place.

Heart of Newhaven: New Year News

Welcome to 2024 and to your January Newsletter.

Happy New Year to you all. We hope you celebrated in style.

Hear About…

We’re kicking off this year with a series of talks at the Heart.

“Hear About…” all sorts of things, will begin on Friday 26th January and run into the spring at 3pm on Friday afternoons. Come along, have a cup of tea or coffee, chat with old friends and make some new ones. The talks will be free but donations would be welcome for the tea/coffee.

They may take place in different areas of the Heart depending on how many people are interested and what the topic is. Some for example, might take place in the hall, others in the Anchor Building and others upstairs in the Heritage Suite.

All we ask is that you register your interest in attending in advance with admin@heartofnewhaven.co.uk to give us an idea of numbers, and check with reception when you arrive to find out exactly where the talk will be.

Here are the first five talks, each starting at 3pm:

Friday 26th January – our very own Chair, Judy Crabb will explain the ups and downs of how the Heart has come about and what we hope for from the future.

Friday 2nd February – John Lawson, Museums & Galleries Edinburgh’s archaeologist will talk about what came to light while the Newhaven tram extension was being built.

Friday 9th February – Heart volunteer, researcher and writer Jane Evans will tell us about the, perhaps not so famous, Newhaven witches.

Friday 16th February – From the Heart to hearts, Gillian Gray, Heart volunteer and recently retired Emeritus Professor of Cardiovascular Pharmacology at the University of Edinburgh, will talk about what the heart does, what commonly goes wrong and how current drugs are used to prevent and treat disease.

23rd February – Archaeologist Rob Engl of AOCArchaeology will tell us all about the excavation that took place in the school playground before the Anchor Building was built. Although the schoolchildren of the time like to refer to the skeleton found as a pirate, the reality may be a little more prosaic, but exciting nevertheless.

See you there, and watch out for more talks to be announced soon. If you would like to give a talk or have a topic to suggest for which we could find a speaker, then contact gillian.bannantyne@heartofnewhaven.co.uk

Keep the dates free

Watchout for our two forthcoming Coorie-in for Winter events, coming up on the evening of Tuesday, January 16th from 7- 8.30 and again on the afternoon of Monday 5th February from 2- 3.30. More details nearer the time.

The Evening event will include some Ukrainian food tasting and a chance to meet and speak to some of our building creatives.

The afternoon will allow visitors into the different spaces and find out more about what is on at the Heart for you.

Keeping green and beautiful

Hot on the heels of our Lottery funding for greening the Heart, announced in our December newsletter, we are proud to present our new certificate from Keep Scotland Beautiful.

Really great news!

We’re also thrilled to announce that we have secured a major new National Lottery Heritage Fund grant.

The £200,000 will be divided between further renovation and conservation work on the old Victoria building and an intergenerational community heritage project: Our schooldays – memories and legacies, Heritage tales from Newhaven, Trinity and Leith Harbour.

The project will involve some of our Heart Partners as well as the schools in our area of benefit and will leave a lasting legacy for the future. The news of the award arrived immediately before Christmas – what a great Christmas present!

Watch this space for more details in the coming months.

Dementia Meeting Centre

We have also secured 12 months funding for the further development of our Dementia Meeting Centre from Age Scotland.

From February, this will take place every Wednesday from 1.30 – 3.30 in the kitchen/lounge.

email: meetingcentre@heartofnewhaven.co.uk

Restoration Forth

has had an incredible year! You can watch a few special moments along the way, in their new Youtube video. Together with other participating hubs, we at The Heart are excited to share the highlights of 2023.

Thanks to everyone who has been involved so far in this truly important project. If you’d like to play a part in restoring marine habitats and coastal environments in the Firth of Forth, find out more and sign up to the Restoration Forth newsletter HERE.

Reminiscence

Remember when? Our reminiscence volunteers will be ready to welcome all-comers at their first session of the new year, on Thursday 18th January,10.30 – 11.30. Themes change at each meeting so what will it be this time? Come along and find out.

New logo

The eagle-eyed amongst you may have noticed that a new logo has appeared on our website. This is to signify that we are registered members of the recently formed Edinburgh Local Heritage Network.

This is an umbrella organisation for all local heritage groups who can use it to exchange ideas, advice, information and even exhibitions and events.

There’s so much coming up this year. Why don’t you get involved? It’s your community, your Heart.

Remember to watch our website and social media for news of events and classes.

WHAT’S ON AT THE HEART

Heart of Newhaven: December newsletter

Welcome to your December Newsletter

Lottery Funding for Greening the Heart

We are thrilled to announce that we have received just over £7,000 from the National Lottery towards the greening of the Heart grounds.

The aim is to bring together people of all ages and from all walks of life to help not only with the greening work itself, but also to improve their own physical and mental wellbeing by being involved in the creation of a green and welcoming space.

Not only will the space look more attractive to visitors and local residents alike, but all the new planting will contribute to the “green lungs” of the city.

The first stage of the project, beginning on 1st March, engagement, gardening and landscaping opportunities as well as harvesting produce for use in the community teaching kitchen, is expected to last one year, but we have loads of plans for future improvements, which would involve more trees and reducing the amount of hard playground surfacing.

Watch this green space!

And if you’d like to get involved, contact lucymetcalfe@msn.com

More good news on the conservation works on the Victoria Building

As we have previously reported, funding has been awarded to us over the past year for significant conservation repairs to the Grade B Listed Victoria Building. As good stewards, we have prioritised some of the more urgent repairs to the stonework, roof, rainwater goods and windows and having tendered the project, we hope to start Phase 1 of the works in the New Year. So watch out for the scaffolding going up and the work beginning.

Of course we’re always on the lookout for more funding, or sponsorship, so spread the word, or if you can help our Operations Group with managing the upkeep or health and safety of the Heart, please get in touch as we would love to hear from you.

On the warm front…

Recent visitors may well have noticed a welcome rise in temperature inside the Victoria Building, especially with the cold weather outside. Repairs have been successfully carried out on the boiler which had originally been installed in 1983 and we are now feeling much warmer as we go about our work. We were even able to find the original engineer who installed the old machine and he was more than happy to come and look after it for us. Enjoy the warmth!

The Heart’s Christmas tree project

What would Christmas be without a tree? You may have heard that at the Heart we are planning to knit next year’s Christmas Tree!

The year-long project was unofficially launched this month (watch out for the official launch in January) as we decorated the Heart for this Christmas.

The idea came originally from a tree that was knitted in Norwich in 2012 and was displayed in prominent buildings to raise funds for Livability, a charity which cared for people in John Grooms Court in Norwich. Such was the success of the tree that they achieved enough money to provide a second lift for the building as well as an extension.

Now the Heart of Newhaven also needs a lift to provide access to the upper floors of the Victoria building, but we will similarly be partnering with local charities and are beginning with the announcement that Homestart, which helps families give children a good start in life will be one of our beneficiaries.

More will be announced in due course.

We’re going to need at least 5000 six-inch squares knitted or crocheted in any shade of green, as well as colourful decorations and adornments for the tree.

You have twelve months to get knitting, so don’t say we haven’t given you enough warning!

Contact norma.johnston@heartofnewhaven.co.uk for more information.

Coming up soon

Norma’s knitting and natter

Talking of knitting, there are three new knit and natter groups starting at the Heart next month from 9th January.

Bring your own knitting or crochet, or join in with the Heart of Newhaven’s exciting new project to knit the 16ft Christmas tree to go on display next year and raise money for our chosen projects. We’ll give you more details next month.

Contact norma.johnston@heartofnewhaven.co.uk if you’d like to be part of this exciting project!

The groups will meet on Tuesdays at 7.15 till 8.30 pm, Wednesdays from 9.30 till 12 noon and Saturdays from 9.30 till 12noon.

Start of regular Heart talks in January.

From local archaeology discoveries to water purity, from Newhaven witches to how to look after your own heart, watch out for an announcement on a new seasonal series of talks at the Heart. We’re creating a schedule of what we hope will be interesting talks which will take place on Friday afternoons in the spring beginning on the 26th January. Come and be enlightened and entertained. More news to follow.

Reminiscence

The next reminiscence sessions with our trained volunteers will be taking place on 21st December and 17th January, 10.30 – 11.30, and will then move to a regular day each month. Watch this space for further details.

Thinking of running away to the circus?

Why not try out some practice sessions first?

The Kids Circus (thinkcircus.co.uk) has found a new home at the Heart, so young people between the ages of 5-8 and 8-11are invited to explore the world of juggling, hula hoop, poi, flower sticks, plate spinning and many other tricks while developing their balance, coordination and confidence.

We now have two Youth Circus Clubs, Teen Circus, running every Tuesday and Friday at the Heart: bookwhen.com/thinkcircus Further classes soon.

Looking back

Remembrance weekend

Two events were held on both the Friday 10th Saturday 11th November

Fair Saturday

Back on the 25th November we got together to celebrate community and culture.

Interested in caring for old heritage buildings?

Lastly, join us in creating a safe, welcoming hub for the whole community. We’re always on the look-out for new trustees and consultants, but we’d like to extend a special welcome to anyone who is interested in the maintenance in an old heritage site such as the Victoria Building.

It has so many special needs and with frequent changes in legislation, we could do with an extra pair of hands for advice or practical help.

If you have even one hour a week to spare and you could walk around the site and lend a hand on health & safety issues, please contact linsay.miller@heartofnewhaven.co.uk.

This might suit anyone from a retired surveyor to a student studying estate maintenance, so come and talk to us if you think you could help.

Finally may we wish everyone a happy festive season and a very Guid New Year!

Make some New Year resolutions and join us in January.

November News from Heart of Newhaven

Autumn is truly upon us and with autumn comes tidying up the garden. Here at the Heart, a volunteer team from British Gas worked hard in the grounds last month and seemed to enjoy themselves – they want to come back next year anyway!

Tools were borrowed from the Tool Library and a tremendous amount was achieved: encroaching vegetation on the decking behind the Anchor Building was cut back and part of the decking covered in chicken wire to prevent slips; hedges were trimmed, litter was picked and rotten planters and sheds were demolished or righted as necessary.

A van load of prunings was removed, but there was still a lot of green waste.

Some of this was chopped into rubble bags and the rest was piled out of sight next to the garden shed. Perhaps we can make a bug hotel out of it.

There’s still work to do, of course, including digging out the mugwort and finishing the chicken wire, so if you’d like to get involved, remember that the gardening group meets every Thursday morning, from 10 till 1

.Remember too to dress for the weather! It is autumn, after all.

Halloween ceilidh

Autumn also means that witches, fairies, ghosts and pumpkins were to be found reeling and wheeling at our Halloween Family Ceilidh on Saturday 28thOctober.

Head witch Norma was in charge of proceedings, ably assisted by under-witch Leslie, who looked after the dooking for apples while both children and adults had their faces painted by Ailie, and were fed by loads of spookily decorated biscuits and cakes supplied by Lesley and the Ukrainian Spiders.

There were plenty of other helpers on hand to assist and everyone commented on the warmth of the event and how family-friendly it was. Don’t miss the next one!

Oyster Day Celebration

Around 70 people came along to celebrate the native oyster and took part in Restoration Forth’s marine-themed craft activities on Saturday 21st October.

They were treated to a performance by the Newhaven Choir and were able to learn the fascinating history of oysters in Edinburgh and catch up on what is being done to restore the oyster beds and the health of the river Forth.

Photos: Espen Helland

Coming up:

Fair Saturday, 25th November

Every last Saturday of November, the day after Black Friday, people in different parts of the world join together by supporting a social project of their choice. Here at the Heart we will be joining in and promoting fairness and social equality through our various offerings.

Come along on Saturday 25th and look at the tremendous amount of objects recently made or repaired by the Men’s Shed. They will be for sale at fair prices.

Similarly, the History of Education Centre will be offering many surplus objects from their collection, such as old school posters and books, in return for donations.

There will be plenty of other offerings. Come along, have a cuppa and investigate.

Cyrenian Lunch Club, Mondays

Starting on Monday 6th November, and running weekly thereafter, the Cyrenian Lunch Club will be taking place at the Heart from 12.30 till 2pm. The Cyrenians try to tackle the causes and consequences of homelessness and the launch of the new lunch club is simply one part of that. The lunches are free and open to all.

They’ll be serving a nutritious two-course meal along with tea/coffee. Some weeks there will also be entertainment to enjoy. Simply turn up.

There’s no need to book unless you have specific dietary requirements they need to know of in advance, in which case contact amandasomerville@cyrenians.scot or call 0131 554 3900

New Pilates classes

We have a new offering on Saturdays at the Heart. Kirsty Pollock is offering Community Pilates for beginners/improvers and complete beginners on Saturday mornings. Contact Kirsty at kpollock008@gmail.com or call her on 07842657411. Classes start at 10am and 11am. You can just drop in and try it or sign up for a block of classes.

Folk Club

Leith Folk Club have made their regular home with us and their next gig is coming up on Tuesday 7thNovember. This event is part of a special John Renbourn Project Tour and will feature guitarists Clive Carroll and Dariush Kanani. Doors open at 7.30 for an eight o’clock start and remember it’s not just for members. Anyone is welcome. Tickets on the door. Check their website for more details.

Reminiscence

Come along and share your memories with the Reminiscence group.

Next dates are 23rd November and 21st December, 10.30 – 11.13.

Free to attend, with a different theme each time.

Coffee at the Heart

Join us for a cuppa and biscuits on Wednesday and Saturday mornings, 9 – 12. Remember that on Wednesdays Ace-It will be there with free advice and support for problems with your laptop, phone or tablet.

Ginger

Children’s show at the Heart.

We are looking forward to seeing a performance from partners, Tortoise in a Nutshell.

Saturday 2nd December

Performances at 10.30 – 11.30am and 1.45 – 2.45pm

Cost: ‘Pay what you think’

Ginger tells the tale of a misshapen gingerbread man ,discarded and marked for the bin. We follow Ginger a he tries to find his place in a kitchen where all confectionery looks the same.

Dynamic puppetry, multi-sensory performance and immersive soundscape combine to create an anarchic adventure for families and 3-7year olds.

Ginger on Vimeo

Wine Tasting Night

Tickets are extremely limited and are online only.

£15 per person (plus Eventbrite booking fee).

Tickets available via this link https://tinyurl.com/4ee4955c

Heart of Newhaven: October News

WELCOME TO YOUR OCTOBER NEWSLETTER

AGM

Thank you to everyone who came along to our second AGM. You are the community and you have a say in what is happening at the Heart. Judy Crabb as Chair opened the proceedings, welcomed everyone, thanked all staff, volunteers, trustees and volunteer consultants and gave a short presentation on the highlights of the last 12 months.

Images on the website for those who were unable to attend.

Andrew Waldie presented the accounts and explained that he was now stepping down. Judy thanked him for the very significant contributions he has made to the work and progress of HoNC. He will be missed but it is time for him to move on elsewhere.

As per the constitution Member Trustees appointed by the Board – since the last AGM, Sarah Harvey and Lynne Porteous, stepped down. They put themselves forward again and were elected.

Co-opted trustees, Christine McDerment, Lindsay Millar and Richard Thomas stood down, offered themselves to rejoin and were duly elected.

At the Board meeting that followed the AGM, the following office bearers were elected: Judy Crabb as Chair and Richard Thomas as Secretary. You can find a complete list of all board members on the website.

Those attending were able to inspect the new Community Teaching Kitchen which has been installed and appeared to be very impressed. Mwamba have already used it for their Conversation Cafe, Newhaven Friendship Group had a demonstration of air fryers there and Cyrenians are to use the facility when they begin to operate a Lunch Club at The Heart from November.

Doors Open Days

Visitors on Doors Open weekend (23rd and 24thSeptember) were impressed with the changes and progress that have been made in the Heart. Around 4-500 people came through the doors and enjoyed tours of the site and chatting with trustees. Lots of people had a chance to see the beautiful Ink on Mesh Studio and to see all the works being created there.

Many spent quite some time in the Victorian Schoolroom and the adjoining Heritage Suite, now available for visits, enjoying looking through old photograph albums and appreciating the various collections on display.

Others met our resident Ukrainian group, the Edinburgh Spiders to find out all about their project to support those on the front line.

The weekend also saw the last days of the 100 Species exhibition in the Atrium and Anchor Building. While a display of photographs of the many contributions were on display in the Atrium, larger objects and more photos were on show in the Anchor Building, including a full-size reimagining of a Newhaven Fishwife by Karen Bates incorporating two creels which had been kindly donated to the Heart’s heritage collection.

Head of Marine Conservation Scotland, Calum Duncan, described the sensation on entering the display as a “ wonderful, inspiring exhibition like Neptune’s grotto when I walked in”.

Funding

The Heart would like to thank recent funders for their contributions. We have been granted £10k from the Pilgrim Trust and £25k from Historic Environment Scotland as contributions to the costs of emergency repairs to the Heart – basically much needed repairs to the roof and windows.

We are currently out to tender and hope the work can start before the end of the year.

A big thank you also to the trustees of the Leith Community Fund who have agreed a grant of £5k towards the Heart of Newhaven Dementia Meeting Centre.

Duke of Edinburgh participants

We are pleased to welcome a growing number of local youngsters taking part in the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme, who are now volunteering at the Heart.

They will be attending on Saturday mornings to welcome visitors and conduct tours of the site while honing their various skills by helping in crafting sessions with even more visiting youngsters.

An appeal for crafters who would like to come on Saturday mornings to teach young or old, including our Duke of Edinburgh award volunteers: we’d welcome more crafters who know how to knit, crochet, card-make as well as share any other similar skill.

Do come and share your creative enjoyment. We’d like to encourage adults attending any classes such as Zumba to bring their children and we shall keep them entertained and busy with any crafts we can offer.

Contact norma.johnston@heartofnewhaven.co.uk if you would like to participate.

Coming Up Soon

Autumn Family Ceilidh. Saturday October 28th, 2pm.

Our first one proved very popular with everyone, so there’s another coming up soon. Contact admin@heartofnewhaven.co.uk if you would like to buy tickets and if you have any unwanted gifts you could donate as raffle prizes.

Call 0131 380 3504 for tickets.

Sharing the past

Our reminiscence volunteers have confirmed their dates for the next few months, so do make a note of them if you would like to come along and chat or share any memories :

All sessions will be on a Thursday at 10.30-11.30 am.

19th October

23rd November

21December

18th January

22nd February

STOP PRESS:

Make a Noticing Journal – a book binding & writing workshop for adults

10am – 1pm,Saturday 18 November

Mindfulness journaling has many benefits, including reducing stress, improving mental clarity, and increasing self-awareness – intrigued? This could be the workshop for you!

Join local Bookbinder Cass Barron and Writer/Artist Julie Galante to make your own ‘noticing journal’ and explore a mindful approach to journalling.

Please contact Cass asap at bookbindingwithcass@gmail.com to reserve your place – – places will be issued on a first come, first served basis as we are limited to a class of 12.

And finally

Our culture & heritage lead, Christine, is keen to gather a few willing helpers around her who could assist in some projects which are being planned.

One would involve research in the Central Library, another requires someone with some computer skills.

There will be various opportunities.

Contact christine.mcderment@heartofnewhaven.co.uk if would like to get involved.

WHAT’S ON AT THE HEART

Macmillan Coffee Morning hosted by Deidre Brock and Ben Macpherson

FRIDAY 29th SEPTEMBER at HEART of NEWHAVEN

Deidre Brock MP and Ben Macpherson MSP are hosting a Coffee Morning in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support on Friday 29 September. The event will run from 10.30 am – 12 noon in the Anchor Room West at the Heart of Newhaven Community Centre.

All are welcome to come along and join them for a cup of coffee or tea, to help raise funds for a vital cause. Newhaven Connections Cafe will also be offering some delicious cakes, traybakes and other treats.

If you’d like and are able to contribute, you can make a donation via the event page, with all proceeds going directly to Macmillan Cancer Support through JustGiving – there will also be a donation box there on the day. Every penny will go towards helping people affected by cancer live their lives as fully as possible.

Deidre Brock MP said: “Many of us have personal experience with the challenges that come with a cancer diagnosis, either first-hand or through our family and friends.

“I know the support offered by Macmillan has been an invaluable lifeline for lots of folk in the constituency during difficult times. So come along for a blether and a cuppa, and let’s raise some money for a fantastic charity.”

Ben Macpherson MSP said: “Along with my colleague, Deidre Brock MP, we are grateful to Macmillan for what they do to support people in the constituency, and across the country.

“Cancer can affect anyone at any time and the support that Macmillan provides can be life changing. Please do come along on Friday 29 September at 10.30am to the Heart of Newhaven to have a cuppa and a chat, and if you can, consider donating to this invaluable organisation.”

https://coffeefundraising.macmillan.org.uk/fundraising/cm23012306?fbclid=IwAR0jbEpDhkzws0d53TPFNLlBApZChGqwNsDm_yx0cIZ075K99sk9p1okQcU

https://www.facebook.com/events/648992663856654

100 Species Exhibition at Heart of Newhaven

Absolutely delighted to share details of our 100 Species exhibition at Heart of Newhaven! Open now!

Huge thanks to the 150 creators who have supported us in this project, sharing their art, learns and thoughts about our special Firth of Forth.

The 100 Species are all ready and eager to meet you! Come visit us

Please feel free to share!

#scottishseabirdcentre

#wwfscotland

#wwf

#fifecoastandcountrysidetrust

#royalbotanicgardensedinburgh

#projectseagrass

#mcs

#heriotwatt

News from Heart of Newhaven

Instead of a September newsletter, we’re taking a short break and in its place we’re sending you this reminder for all members and everyone interested in how the Heart is being run, that the Heart of Newhaven Community 2023 Annual General Meeting will be held on Saturday 9th September at 2pm.

There will be a short presentation from the chair and on opportunity to ask questions.

Registered members who live within the area of benefit will be able to vote and elect new Board members.

Come along and take the opportunity to talk to some of the current Trustees and find out what has been happening over the last year as well as what the plans are for the future.
You can also register your interest in becoming a volunteer at the Heart.

AGENDA – click here

If you are unable to come and would like to vote, please nominate a proxy to vote on your behalf. Email agm@heartofnewhaven.co.uk to register.

Coming up soon:

Leith Folk Club will be holding their next event on Tuesday 5th September and it will feature the Sandy Brechin QuaTrio.

Restoration Forth

The Heart will be hosting the Edinburgh Shoreline exhibition from Saturday September 16th until the 24th. Come and see the art made by people along the Forth – also as a preview pop in for coffee any Wednesday or Saturday morning and see photographs of all the artworks on display.

Doors Open Days

The Heart and its associated buildings will be open from 10am until 4pm on both Saturday and Sunday, 23rd and 24th September, for Doors Open Days.

The Victorian Schoolroom and Victorian Home Life Exhibit will also be open for visits.

Doors Open Edinburgh

October Family Ceilidh – the 28th Oct 2pm, come and join us for another family ceilidh – this is Halloween themed. with prizes, games and refreshments.
Tickets available by dropping into the Heart on a Saturday morning.

What’s On

Keep an eye on the notice boards as well our What’s On page for regular sessions, classes and events.