Tag: Heart of Newhaven

Heart of Newhaven: August newsletter


Welcome to your August newsletter
Visitors from Singapore

The Heart was delighted to be able to host a visiting delegation from Singapore last month. The visitors, around 20 researchers from the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at the National University of Singapore, were on a fact-finding trip hosted by DTAS (Development Trusts Association Scotland) and requested that the Heart be part of their itinerary.

Around two dozen visitors therefore enjoyed a delightful lunch at the Heart, followed by guided tours of the site with some of our trustees, and ending with an informal question and answer session before leaving for their next port of call.

They wanted to know about the community right to buy such assets as the Heart and how we are now funding and running it for the community and what they learned will feed in to their Future Ready Society Conference in Singapore.

First Dementia Tea & Blether

Our dementia worker Valeria hosted her first official Meeting Centre event last month with a good-sized turnout of interested adults, carers and volunteer helpers. Tea, coffee, biscuits and a delicious home-made cake were happily consumed over discussions of old photographs from the Heart’s heritage collection and a few intriguing items from the Victorian Schoolroom.

Attendees had an informal tour of the ground-floor heritage displays and the event finished with much laughter as participants tried their hand at quoits or beanbag throwing – both much more difficult than they would appear to be!



There will be further monthly meetings and the next one is scheduled for Wednesday 30th August. Contact valeria.lembo@heartofnewhaven.co.uk if you’d like to attend.

Local glass artist

Juli Bolanos-Durman  paid a visit to the Heart recently, when she was thrilled to be able to claim many of the excess scientific glass objects from the History of Education Centre.

She will use the old test tubes, flasks and rods to create new glass sculptures.  HEC was equally thrilled that their old glass would be saved from landfill and used to produce new artwork. Watch this space for photos of the finished pieces.

Coming up soon

The Heart will be hosting an exhibition for Edinburgh Shoreline next month.
This will be a week-long exhibition, open to the public from Saturday September 16th and running until the 24th.

The 16th is the date for the deployment of oysters in the Forth, an historic event.

AGM

Important date

The Heart of Newhaven Community’s AGM will be held this year on Saturday 9th September, at 2pm.  

Please check whether you are a member or not as we must update our records every year.

You may be signed up to receive the newsletter, but not be a member.

If you are a member, you will receive your official notice next week
and be told what the next steps are. 

The AGM would be an ideal time to step up and join the Board.

We need new volunteers to join us, particularly if they have financial experience of any kind. If you would be interested in helping, contact Judy,Crabb@heartfnewhaven.co.uk or andrew.waldie@heartofnewhaven.co.uk

You can also find more details at https://reachvolunteering.org.uk/opp/heart-newhaven-community-trustees or https://reachvolunteering.org.uk/opp/heart-newhaven-community-treasurer

The AGM would also be a great time to start getting more involved with the running of the Heart. We’re always on the look-out for more volunteers on the ground and there are many ways of lending a hand, whether it’s by manning the welcome desk at specific times, providing IT or comms support, stepping forward to help organise events or sharing your own particular skills or expertise in so many ways.

Do say hello to one of our Trustees and offer to help in whatever way you can.

Work with Us.

We have a vacancy for another part-time staff member.  This is a part-time (16hrs per week), fixed-term role for six months but it could evolve into a permanent position. Check out the specifications on the website –

New Teaching Kitchen

Watch out for big changes in the Victoria Building, coming up soon.

There have been delays to the installation of the promised new teaching kitchen, the hold-up being unexpected additional costs having to be met, but the work will begin in the next couple of weeks.

We apologise in advance for any disruption caused, but rest assured the finished amenity will meet all sorts of community demands.

More changes

You’ll be seeing lots of young faces around the Heart from now on, with the new childcare facilities starting in the Anchor Building this month.

As we explained in the last newsletter, Daddy DayCare are moving in, so welcome to our new young users. Have fun!

New partner NEECS

Finally, welcome to our new partner, NEECS, North East Edinburgh Counselling Service. NEECS was established in 1995 and provides free one-to-one professional counselling for young people and adults who are experiencing poor mental health.

You’re invited to their upcoming AGM and the ‘house warming’ of their new premises on the first floor of the Victoria Building on Thursday 24th August.

This will be their first in-person AGM since the pandemic and an opportunity to see their new room at The Heart. The day will start with coffee & cake from 9am, then starting the AGM at 9.30am in one of the meeting rooms in the Anchor Building in the playground.

WHAT’S ON AT THE HEART














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

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 

Heart of Newhaven: April Newsletter

Welcome to your April Newsletter

Good news on Funding

We are pleased to report that Edinburgh Voluntary Organisations Council (EVOC) has generously agreed to fund a new Community Teaching Kitchen at the Heart from their Community Health & Well-being Fund.

The almost £13,000 will pay for a total revamp of the old VPS kitchen and provide a space where community-minded groups involved with the many aspects of food growing and preparation can come together to share their skills.

This will involve a lot of work, so accept our apologies for any disruption, especially around the cafe area, as it might not be completed until after the summer.

If you tasted the food offered by Mwamba at our two Coorie-In events, then you’ll be pleased to know that they have already signified their interest in using the new kitchen once it’s ready.

In the meantime, if you or your group would like to use the space for the benefit of the community, please get in touch with admin@heartofnewhaven.co.uk

Working with us –

Age Scotland are also getting involved at the Heart. They are providing the funds for a six-month, part-time position (two days a week) for someone to help organise and run sessions at the Heart for local people living with dementia and their carers.

Applications for the position have now closed, but watch this space for more news as the successful applicant is due to start in June.

We also will be welcoming our new building maintenance officer, Ian White who joins us at the start of May to support all the activities in the Heart.  

VIP visitors

The Heart has been happy to host VIP visits recently, with two local councillors, Councillor Sanne Dijkstra-Downie, Councillor Stuart Dobbin and MP Deirdre Brock being given tours of the site and an introduction to what’s been going on, bringing them right up to date with both our achievements and our future plans.

We look forward to welcoming them back again in the future.

Our reminiscence volunteers are keeping busy.

Those who undertook reminiscence training are now offering drop-in sessions at the Heart once a month, on Wednesday mornings. (Wed 12 April, Wed 10 May, Wed 14 June, Wed 12 July, all from 10.30 – 11.30 am).

It is completely free, open to everyone and all ages and there is no need to book in advance  – just come along to the Heart, take a seat and start chatting!

The aim is to have a different theme each month, with different pictures and objects to get the discussion going. Do spread the word if there is anyone you know who might be interested in coming along – feel free to bring a friend.

For any further information email admin@heartofnewhaven.co.uk

Children and the future of the Anchor Building 

Four Pop-up Play Cafes for carers and children aged 0-7, were held at the Heart in March, led by Froebelian Futures (https://www.froebel.ed.ac.uk/) with the support of various local organisations that support Early Years and families, including Homestart and Stepping Stones.

The aim was to gauge community response and around 200 people, adults and children, passed through the doors on each of the four days.

The feedback, which has all been very positive, is currently being evaluated and will inform our next steps. We will let you know!

Moving forward to August, DaddyDayCare will be opening their doors in the Anchor Building as well.

They are now accepting applications for places, so head to their website for all the details – daddydaycareedinburgh.com

Heritage

Meanwhile, HONC has not been neglecting the heritage side of things.

Representatives from the Heart and our partners the Victorian Schoolroom attended a consultation meeting organised by the City’s Museums Services held in the new Victoria Primary School last month.

A small but enthusiastic number of attendees put forward their ideas for working collaboratively and the representatives from the City Council will take away their ideas and work on them.

Similarly, we also attended a preliminary meeting of a new venture called the Edinburgh Local Heritage Network, also being led currently by the City’s Archives, Libraries and Museum Services.

The idea is for different heritage groups around the city to collaborate on exhibitions, events and publicity to make more locals as well as visitors aware of the many and differing heritage strands the area has to offer.

Finally, our Warm & Welcoming mornings (Wednesdays and Saturdays) are becoming popular but we really need more volunteers to help welcome and chat to visitors as well as make them a warming cup of tea or coffee.

If you think you could give a couple of hours a week, particularly on Wednesday mornings, please contact admin@heartofnewhaven.co.uk

Remember to check our website and social media pages regularly for what’s happening around the Heart. 

You’ll find the latest courses being run by Ink on Mesh and our bookbinder Cass, as well as the next date for a Leith Folk Club gathering, by clicking What’s On.

By clicking on Culture & Heritage news, you’ll find an appeal for photo identification and a lovely link between the Heart and the Victorian Schoolroom when the great granddaughter of a former pupil came to visit.

P.S. Save the date:

We’ll be hosting a Family Ceilidh on 29th April, so save the date. 

More details to follow on the website / social media.

The Heart of Newhaven Community

Welcome to your March Newsletter

There’s such a lot going on!

We have news of several events and a couple of requests.

Vote for us, join us in a community consultation and hear what is happening at the Heart.

First of all, please vote for us.

Edinburgh Community Climate Fund – Vote for the Heart

HONC has applied for funding from Edinburgh Community Climate Fund. Over 50 projects have been submitted and those with the most votes will be awarded grants until the fund of £100,000 is exhausted.

Voting is open to all Edinburgh residents over the age of eight, until 12th March.

The Heart’s proposal is the development of a teaching kitchen which will complement the partnership work we are already doing with Homestart in the development of a community garden within the curtilage of The Heart, and with Mwamba in our ‘pots of herbs’ project.

Other organisations and groups keen to work with us in developing and using the facility include Edinburgh Community Food, Leith Pantry and the Ukrainian community. We also have close links to Friends of Victoria Park and Victoria Allotments who would provide a seasonal input of fruit and vegetables to the kitchen for community use.

Please vote for the Heart.

Vote below or head to Leith Library (or any other Edinburgh Library) and they are ready to help.

VOTE HERE

Newhaven Community Consultation

Are you interested in local history and heritage? If so, we would encourage you to join Museums & Galleries Edinburgh (MGE) for a discussion of how they can best support heritage within the Newhaven community. The views of individuals and groups, old friends and new perspectives will all be welcomed. The event will be led by Diana Morton, Outreach and Access Manager at MGE.

The last community consultation took place in 2010 and in the intervening years, the Wee Museum at Victoria Primary School formed a focus for MGE’s support of local heritage. However the school community has moved to its new premises, some pillars of the community have passed away, new communities have moved to the area and new groups have been formed.

The consultation is to develop a coherent way forward for MGE to find a solution that meets the needs of the different communities and organisations in the area.

Please come along to find out more or contact Diana Morton, Outreach & Access Manager at diana.morton@edinburgh.gov.uk

The event will take place on 23 March, 6 -7.30pm at the new Victoria Primary School 1 Windrush Drive, Edinburgh EH6 4TN

New event at the Heart

Newhaven resident Gino’s bee journey began in 2014 when he took a beginner beekeeping course and got his first colony of honey bees to care for. He now holds a Beemaster qualification in practical beekeeping, is actively involved with the Scottish Beekeeping Community, keeps bees in Edinburgh, East & West Lothian, and is the recipient of several honey awards.

His three-part Thursday evening course will be a summary of all the important things you need to know about bees, beekeeping, products of the hive, plants, the environment etc… 

It is aimed at people with no knowledge or experience, ideal for gardeners or people looking to learn something new or get into beekeeping. Gino’s very keen to persuade people away from thinking of honey as a cheap sweetener and to realise the rare and unique product that it is that captures the landscape in a jar.

Contact Gino at  gino@simplyhoney.co

Second Coorie-In

We organised an evening event on February 23rd to welcome people into The Heart and give them the opportunity to connect with each other, to meet the people (artists and organisations) who are based in the building and to try their hand at creative activities.  Teas and coffees were on offer and Mwamba provided ethnically diverse hot food which proved very popular.

The evening included a performance by the local Community Choir, taster sessions of Tai Chi and Qi Gong, felting and notebook making, visits to the pottery and violin workshops, as well as the Victorian Schoolroom and Victorian Homelife display. There was even a chance of a free massage and advice from Age Scotland and Ace-It.

Over 100 people attended, not counting the many volunteers helping in various ways, meaning that the demonstrators and tenants found themselves very busy all evening. Visitors loved the “friendly community feel” as well as “visiting each organisation and making connections.”

Here are just a few of the feedback comments we received:

“Watching book binding, seeing the Victorian school and meeting the Heart of Newhaven team!”

“Loved to see the print studio and the pottery.”

“The variety of events available.”

“Ceramics – so lovely and interesting! Ink on Mesh, violin repair specialist, felting, Victorian school. Was really great seeing all. Amazing evening!”

“We loved everything from the Victorian Schoolroom, to the Art, the lovely spaces and friendly members. Food was great.”

“EVERYTHING, BRAVO! Wonderful combination of art, craft, music, history and community initiatives. Also a very welcoming space.”

HONC’s Board is looking for a volunteer with secretarial skills to take on minute-taking for board meetings, etc.

There are also still opportunities to volunteer in various capacities, as well as a couple of places on the Board to fill, in particular for those with legal, financial, marketing or HR experience.

Please check the website for further details or contact admin@heartofnewhaven.co.uk

Finally, welcome to the Leith Folk Club, (LFC) which held the first of its revitalised events at the Heart last month.

To kick things off in their new guise and in a new venue, they held a fundraiser in the old gym hall with music and merry-making for what turned out to be a packed audience. 

A spokesperson for LFC said “The money raised will enable us to recover from the last three years and will be used to get us back to doing what we do best – presenting regular gigs featuring the best Scottish and international folk and world music in the Heart of Newhaven, just down the road from our previous venue.

“None of the musicians got paid for their services and the venue was staffed by LFC committee and HoN volunteers. The night was an unqualified success and a collaborative effort, with the door-take shared equally between both organisations.”

To keep up to date with all that is happening go to Heart of Newhaven and hopefully we will see you at the Heart soon. 

Heart of Newhaven Community: January News

Happy New Year and Welcome to your January newsletter

We’d like to start this month’s newsletter with a little boasting:

“We just celebrated our daughter’s first birthday at the Heart of Newhaven! What a joy!

‘The hall was perfect and the team (particularly Kim) couldn’t have been more helpful and accommodating. The building is historic and quirky and we are so privileged to be able to use the facility in our community. If you’re looking for a quaint and wholesome venue to celebrate, the Heart of Newhaven is the perfect spot.”

That is a genuine review left on Google after a successful event held at the Heart. Why not consider it for your special event?  Book here

There are also several regular classes now being held in the Heart. We have Zayna Dance Academy who are running nursery ballet and jazz, jazz and musical theatre classes for ages 5-8 and 8-11, and also some classes for adults. For more info contact zaynadanceacademy@gmail.com or Whatsapp: 07487450778.

If you have young children or are expecting, you might be interested in the regular Pregnancy Cafe events, run by Stepping Stones North Edinburgh. Check out their website at Home – Stepping Stones North Edinburgh

If you enjoy singing, then there is also Newhaven Community Choir  – who practise in the Heart every week.

Some of our tenants are now up and operating as well. Our very own potter, Borja Moronta is beavering away in his top floor studio getting ready for a special exhibition (check out his own website at borjamoronta.com), and the History of Education Centre on the first floor is taking bookings for visits to their newly refurbished Victorian Schoolroom (check their website at histedcentre.org.uk).

Their very first visitors came this month, of course, from Victoria Primary School, who were thrilled to be back on home turf and amazed at the changes that had been made since they left.

There is also a drop-in hand-sewing group being started by Lorna at Ink on Mesh. This is in association with the ‘Stitch an Acorn’ Campaign for Louise Gardiner’s Cape of Courage exhibition at Marchmont House, Duns, later this year.

The sessions will take place at the Heart on Tuesdays from Tuesday 7th February until Tuesday March 28th, 6.15pm – 8.15pm. Just come to the main door.

You can find out more about the project here: 

https://www.lougardiner.co.uk/blog.php

Lorna is also on the look-out for spare material scraps, sewing kit of any kind or even sewing machines that can be reused, repurposed and re-loved. If you have any such donations, please drop them off at the Heart for her attention or contact her on blessedunrest@aasfour601983

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Repair Café                  

Saturday 28th January, 10am-1pm

At The Men of Leith Men’s Shed, Creel Building, Heart of Newhaven Community
Something broken? Why not bring it along to our Repair Café where our volunteers will help you to attempt a repair. The event is free; our goals are to help people to learn repair skills and to save waste and cost.

We can look at any small objects including small electrical items, toys, small furniture, ornaments, indeed anything you value which is broken – come along and give us a challenge!

www.facebook.com/leithmensshedrepair.org

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We’re about to start a new venture at the Heart as well.

The Warm & Welcoming events on Wednesday and Saturday mornings 9 -12 , beginning Wednesday 1st February, will be open with tea, coffee and at very least biscuits. We will be hosting several pop-up events staffed by our partners and Heart residents. Just turn up, have a cuppa and meet them. 

ACE IT will  be running 1:1 advice if you need support with your laptop, phone or tablet: use the free Wifi and get any problems sorted out.

You will also be able to find out more about what’s happening the Heart in the coming months.

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Now back to more mundane but very important matters.

We’re currently hiring.

We’re looking for a part-time Buildings Maintenance Officer.

If you’re interested in being part of our small but very important team, read more about it on the website and if you’d like to apply, please send a copy of your CV, a supporting statement describing how you meet the person specification, and a short covering letter to anna.brown@heartofnewhaven.co.uk.

We’re also looking for more volunteers to help with specific tasks.

We need volunteers to help at reception on Wednesday and Saturday mornings when we will be holding our multi-purpose Warm & Welcoming events.

We’d also like to hear from anyone with event organising and/or community fund raising experience.

If you’d like to volunteer in any of those areas, then contact us via the volunteer form on the website.

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Finally, make a date to come and visit the Heart on the evening of Thursday 23rd February when we will be holding our second Coorie-In from 7 till 8.30 pm.

Come and meet some of our tenants and partners  and see what the Heart has to offer.

More details in the next Newsletter.

UK Government saves vital community assets across Scotland

Projects in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Falkirk and Isle of Arran to receive share of the UK Government’s Community Ownership Fund

Across Scotland community venues at risk of being lost forever have been rescued and placed into the hands of the local community with over £800,000 from the Community Ownership Fund.

The UK Government has allocated shares of the multimillion pound Community Ownership Fund to help community groups take ownership of local institutions falling into disrepair and give them a new lease of life so they can continue to provide vital services, create more opportunities for local people and boost local economies

Successful projects include the transformation of an old primary school into a vibrant community hub, funding to open the Lochranza Hotel bar on the Isle of Arran and money for a grass roots sports club in Falkirk.

Levelling Up Minister Dehenna Davison said: “This announcement will help people across Scotland restore the cherished pillars of community that bring people together and provide vital services for local people.

“With government backing these places will continue to thrive, run by the local community for the local community from Falkirk to the Isle of Arran.

UK Government Minister for Scotland Malcolm Offord said: “Congratulations to the latest four Scottish projects being awarded a share of the UK Government Community Ownership Fund.

“Ten venues serving communities across Scotland are now being supported by £2 million investment from the fund. In total, our levelling up agenda is seeing more than £2 billion directly invested in Scotland by the UK Government.”

Mark Crawford, Vice President, Falkirk RFC said: “The fund will help us to create an attractive, modern hub which will be used by a new adult women’s team. With the funding, we plan to install a new sustainable heating system and create fit-for-purpose changing and showering facilities, a new physio suite, gym and a flexible teaching area. 

“We plan to deliver a variety of sport, health and wellbeing focused programmes from the facility, with partner organisations like FDAMH, Falkirk’s mental health association, and we believe the new facility will help address a lot of high-priority local needs beyond sport.

Successful projects include:

  • ‘The Heart’ in Newhaven, Edinburgh, a former primary school and listed building will be transformed into a vibrant community hub offering activities, learning and services to local families, with £300,000 in funding.
  • The doors of the Lochranza Hotel on the remote Isle of Arran will fly open again to welcome punters into the warm hearth to enjoy their selection of malt whiskies, thanks to a £300,000 grant. The hotel was at risk of being lost forever after closing due to the pandemic.
  • Falkirk Rugby Football and Sports Club will use its £115,000 grant to transform dilapidated changing pavilions into modern, inclusive, multi-purpose facilities in a boost for local girl’s and women’s teams.
  • The historic Albert Park in Glasgow’s Southside will also benefit from £100,000 of levelling up cash to restore the clubhouse and pavilion so that locals can enjoy them for generations to come.

The move forms part of the UK Government’s drive to level up local communities across the country, create more opportunities for local people and boost local economies as a result.

Combined with round one projects, this additional funding takes our overall total to £16.74m for 70 projects, with £2.0m allocated to Scotland.

The prospectus for the second round of the £150 million Community Ownership Fund updated the fund to make it more clear and extend the eligibility requirements, following feedback from previous applicants.

This second round of the £150 million Community Ownership Fund will build on the success of the round one, which saw over £10 million awarded to 38 successful projects across the UK: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/community-ownership-fund-first-round-successful-bidders