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.