St. Nicholas summer fayre raises £1700

St Nicholas Court Sheltered Housing Complex raised £1700 at its annual summer fayre. The complex, on Ferry Road, had a number of attractions including face painting, home bakes stall, barbeque, tombola and clothing, books and bric-a-brac sales. 

Maureen Tait manages the Port of Leith Housing Association sheltered housing development. She said: “It was an absolutely fantastic day. We got about the only two hours of sunshine there was the entire fortnight it seemed and people flocked along. We were busy the entire time with people enjoying the sunshine, food and company of the day. This is a great sum for us and we are very grateful to everyone who came along and helped us raise this superb total.”

The funds will be used to fund social outings for the complex’s 35 residents. Last year, the money they raised helped pay for trips to Dynamic Earth, exercise classes, social evenings and buying a 50” TV and a Wii console.

 

 

Boswall community’s united in celebration!

A celebration has been held to mark the opening on 15 new affordable homes and a church centre in Boswall Parkway by Port of Leith Housing Association (PoLHA).

The Association bought the Granton United Church site in 2010  and was committed to providing a centre for a local congregation as part of its  building plans. The development, built with £1m funding from the City of Edinburgh Council, has been shortlisted for a Scottish Home Award  for Community Partnership of the Year.

There are two one-bedroom, 10 two-bedroom and three  three-bedroom flats in the Boswall Parkway development . More than two-thirds of the properties feature solar thermal heating provided by panels located on the roof.

An opening ceremony was held at the Granton United Church last week and was attended by around 30 people including PoLHA  representatives, contractors and tenants, as well as local MSP Malcolm  Chisholm.

Cathy  King, Head of Housing and Regeneration at the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “This development  is a great example of the council and Port of Leith Housing Association working  in partnership with the local community to deliver much-needed affordable homes.  The existing building has now been transformed into 15 energy-efficient flats  and a purpose-built church hall which everyone will be able to benefit from.”

Keith Anderson, Chief Executive of PoLHA,  said: “This site, incorporating a church, is one that’s completely  unique for us and we’re delighted to have been able to  develop a centre as part of our plans. Creating communities in which people want to live is more than simply providing a roof over people’s  heads: it’s providing good-quality, energy-efficient housing people are proud of, and it’s supporting individuals, families  and local groups to help bring people together and be a  community.”

Granton United Church has around 35 members. Treasurer Ted Wallace  said: “The members all seem happy with the new  centre and we’ve settled in.”

Resident Paula McVay added: “Our new home is great and we’re really happy  with the energy-efficient measures.”