Congratulations to everyone at the Heart of Newhaven

The Heart of Newhaven Community has finally been given the keys to the front door. Current Chair Judy Crabb received the keys from the City of Edinburgh Council on Friday so the school site finally belongs to the community.

It’s taken a long time. As a reminder, the original Steering Group was set up after public consultation and eventually converted into a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO), registered with OSCR the charity overseer in 2020. They won the right to purchase the site under the Community Asset Transfer scheme in July 2020 and secured funding for the purchase from the Scottish Land Fund in June 2021. The school pupils and teachers moved out in December, 2021, but delays originally caused by Covid 19 and then last minute legal hurdles meant that the final transfer could not take place until this week.

Now, it’s all systems go, with volunteers tidying and cleaning and potential users and tenants queuing up to move in and get started. The History of Education Centre has already moved all its equipment and furniture in and hopes to have the Victorian Schoolroom fully operational by 1st October. Others are keen to follow suit.

First though, there are some necessary health and safety measures to install, IT equipment and communications must be set up and the most urgent repairs to the structure need to be completed.

Once open to the public, the community hub will be offering spaces for intergenerational activities including space for such as theatre groups, choirs and performances of all kinds, rooms for rent for meetings or parties, artists’ studios and small business rooms for rent, a Heritage Suite, much needed early years’ provision in the modern Anchor Building, rooms for the Men’s Shed to carry on their activities and of course a community cafe.

HoNC Chair, Judy Crabb has been involved since even before the first public consultations and is now celebrating with the rest of the Board.

“It’s a well-known phrase ‘ If it is worth having, it is worth waiting for’ and how true that is as of today. Finally, we are thrilled to announce that HoNC now owns the former Victoria Primary School that from now on will be known as ‘The Heart’.”

Read the full story here.

Generations Working Together wish Judy and her team all the best in their new adventure. We shall be here to help support their intergenerational working in any way we can.