Gorebridge Community Development Trust

Gorebridge Community Pantry

GCDTadmin — Wed, 19 Jul 2023 13:10:21 +0000

The Gorebridge Community Pantry opened on the 28th of June 2023. We are so blown away that over 450 households have become members. The current opening time or the pantry is Tuesday 4pm – 6pm. As well as collections of food that are unsold or surplus from local businesses and FairShare GO, your pantry members fee will ensure the Pantry is topped up each week.

How does it work?

The Pantry is open to all households/residents of EH23, anyone who lives in this Post Code area can apply to become members of the Pantry and ‘shop’ there once a week. Membership is free, and weekly ‘shop’ costs £3.50 which is put back into buying stock into the Pantry the following week. Each member receives 10 credits for £3.50, and these credits can be used to ‘spend’ on fresh, ambient or store-cupboard ingredients. If available, free bread will be offered, and volunteers will make each member a bag of fresh fruit and veggies.

When is it open?

Tuesday’s 4 – 6PM.

Where?

Gorebridge Beacon, Hunterfield Road, Gorebridge, EH23 4TT (that big class building next to the church and in front of the leisure centre).

Donate

Would you like to donate to the Gorebridge Community Pantry? Please click here.

Who is it for?

Everyone in EH23. One application per household. Community Pantries are popping up all over, in fact they have been around globally for a while. Community Pantries are unique in that they are accessible to everyone, membership is free, they are perfectly placed to reduce the cost of food bills, stopping food too good to waste reaching landfill, and offer our community volunteering opportunities and a chance to come together.

Signing Up

Since opening on June 28th we have over 450 households signed up. That’s amazing. You can sign up at any Pantry opening time, or pop into the Beacon and ask for a membership form. The Community Pantry is first-come, first-served, however as each member has 10 credits to ‘spend’ there is a fair distribution of food. Many people have told us that the £3.50 is worth it for the veggies and fruit.

What food is available at the Pantry?

It varies from week to week. As we order from Fairshare, and receive donations, and top up we can’t guarantee the same produce each week. We will have fresh fruit and veggies, bakery items, store cupboard/cooking essentials. Often we have toiletries and cleaning items. Pantry volunteers will be able to share with you how to cook items if you aren’t sure.

Who runs the Gorebridge Community Pantry

Gorebridge Community Development Trust runs the Pantry at Beacon. There is an amazing group of volunteers who keep stock up to date, shop, sort, set up, display, serve members and make the pantry a wonderful community event each week.

In order to sustain the Pantry we will be seeking further funding, organising fundraisers, and all weekly shop fees go back into sustaining. If you would like to volunteer (admin, in the Pantry, setting up), have a fundraising idea please do get in touch here.

Want to support the Pantry but you don’t need to shop weekly?

Do you mean you want to donate to the Pantry? That would be so amazing. Pop into the Beacon and speak to a member of staff, or contact us here.

Are there any other Community Pantries in Midlothian?

Yes, please visit Midlothian Councils website here.

Active Summer Comes to an End

GCDTadmin — Mon, 16 Aug 2021 14:19:32 +0000

We were delighted to receive Enhanced Summer Funding (Get Into Summer), because of it 150 local children and young people enjoyed 7 weeks of activities (parkour, BBQ’s, drumming, hiphop dance, jazz dancing, yoga, circus skills, contemporary dance, rugby tots, outside games, sport days, musical theatre, craft and pottery sessions, and 32 families attended our family picnics. Many thanks to all the volunteers who helped and the instructors who delivered.

A few pictures of the summer days …

Mindful Money, Money Matters

GCDTadmin — Thu, 17 May 2018 11:13:53 +0000

A lot of people would rather face having root canal over having to deal with money issues.

Day to day financial issues take an enormous toll on our emotional and mental wellbeing, and it doesn’t have to be this way.

We all have good, even great intentions around money management but then life gets busy and things get put on the backburner. This 4 hour workshop has been designed to help individuals new to budgeting (or daunted by it) to create their own money management system, learning what goes into a budget and what it takes to achieve financial wellness.

A perfect chance to get into action around your finances.

During the workshop you will learn concepts, ideas and systems – in plain English – and in a way that makes sense to you, which you will then be able to take action after the workshop to make the whole process gradual and painless.

Who is it for?

Anyone that feels they consistently have more month than money and want to take control over their finances but either don’t have the confidence to start or are in overwhelm on where to start.

A perfect class for someone facing a new chapter in their life such as the birth of a child, a divorce, change in job or, a young adult about to leave home or start college.

Disclaimer

Mindful Money, Money Matters is a health and well-being workshop. It is not, and will not, contain individual financial advice. Please seek a professional advice if required.

To Book

Spaces are free but limited, please book using Eventbrite below.

Refreshments will be provided, however please bring your own lunch.

Book Mindful Money, Money Matters on Eventbrite

Outdoor Seating for Gorebridge Beacon

GCDTadmin — Wed, 10 May 2017 10:18:14 +0000

It is good to see the old stonework salvaged from the Brown Building out of store and ready to be incorporated into the remembrance garden at Gorebridge Beacon.

Some of you might even remember the previous life of the Brown Building (run by the trust for a few years as a community centre before it was demolished to make way for the new carpark to serve the leisure centre and Beacon) – as the only Gorebridge primary school. When it was demolished we kept as much of the sandstone as was possible. All the stone used in the gabion retaining walls near the entrance to the leisure centre was from the Brown Building. The best stone was reserved for the remembrance garden, including the lintels over the then segregated boys and girls entrances, to be used as seats. Segregated seating?[su_spacer]

Casting Call for Gorebridge Play

GCDTadmin — Sat, 06 May 2017 09:24:45 +0000

3in1 Theatre is casting for a brand-new play in partnership and funded by the Gorebridge Community Development Trust through the Heritage Lottery Fund, written about the life of Gorebridge woman and early 20^th century author, Annie S. Swan. The play follows Annie’s extraordinary life from 1910 – 1943, focusing on her work during the First World War spanning three countries – the UK, France and USA.

Artistic Director Matt Dunn said, ‘Annie Swan is a truly extraordinary Scottish woman, it has been a real privilege to write this play and I cannot wait to share it with its cast. This play, appropriately titled Swan, takes our audience through Annie’s life from 1910-1943 affectionately meeting her friends and foes along the way. This is a great opportunity for anyone of all skill level to come along and get involved in a play that will really mean something to its cast and audience.’

We are looking for a large cast of over 30 actors. Actors will be unpaid however you will be fully supported throughout the rehearsal process. All costumes will be provided.

The play will run for four nights over the first two weeks of September, in the new multi million pound Gorebridge Beacon. Rehearsals will take place every Monday and Wednesday night in Gorebridge from May – September.

If you would like to come along and audition or have any questions, please email 3in1theatre@gmail.com or call us on 07508601307 for more details.

Inside the Gorebridge Beacon

GCDTadmin — Wed, 05 Apr 2017 08:37:41 +0000

The scaffolding is away, the decorators are in and we can start to see what the Beacon is going to look like. (click on an image to open slideshow)

Invitation to Tender for Café at Gorebridge Beacon

GCDTadmin — Mon, 27 Mar 2017 21:34:27 +0000

Gorebridge’s new Community Hub, the Beacon, is due for completion early summer 2017. Funded principally by the Big Lottery and Midlothian Council the Beacon will provide a general purpose large hall, a creative arts room, a cafe facility, a suite of new modern office and meeting facilities as well as being the new home of Gorebridge Family Learning Centre.

We are seeking expressions of interest for the contract to operate the Café premises at Gorebridge Beacon, available from Summer 2017 to Summer 2018. Please note nearing the end of the contract a discussion will take place between the Contractor and Gorebridge Beacon regarding an option to renew on completion of a satisfactory service in 2017/18.

Gorebridge Beacon is seeking a skilled and experienced café operator to operate and manage the café and other catering services within Gorebridge Beacon. This will follow the model of a café concession for the purpose of providing a public catering service for an agreed rental charge. The operator will have exclusive use of a kitchen to an agreed specification in return for a set concession fee. Exclusive use will be limited to a Licence to Occupy, not a lease. Proposals will be assessed on the basis of experience, quality of approach and viability of proposal. Acceptance of any proposal will be subject to a final contract comprising a Licence to Occupy to be entered into by Gorebridge Beacon and the successful party.

To register interest and obtain the invitation to tender pack please email: beacon@gorebridge.org.uk

Deadline to register interest – 31 st March 2017, 12 Noon
Strictly Private & Confidential
Jane Burridge
Gorebridge Beacon Business Manager
c/o Gorebridge Community Development Trust
58 Main Street
Gorebridge
Midlothian
EH23 4BY

Beacon Progress

GCDTadmin — Fri, 24 Mar 2017 19:12:16 +0000

The Gorebridge Beacon is progressing well, with interior details started and jobs soon being advertised. Here are some photographs taken this week.

Beacon Survey – Have Your Say

GCDTadmin — Sat, 21 Jan 2017 01:06:27 +0000

The Gorebridge Beacon opening is imminent, and consultation is underway to find out exactly how you feel the facilities should be used.

Click the link below to complete the survey online.

Please share this survey using the share buttons below or copy and paste the link into email to share with the community.

https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/GorebridgeBeacon

Free Polish – English Translation Drop-In

GCDTadmin — Mon, 16 Jan 2017 15:24:28 +0000

[one-third-first]We are now holding Polish-English interpreting services to the community, free of charge, on Mondays, drop-in between 2pm and 3pm.
This will include translating letters, forms, or indeed anything that needs to be translated! Local resident, professional interpreter, Monika Chlapowska, offers this service voluntarily.[/one-third-first]
[one-third]

Monika Chlapowska

[/one-third]
[one-third]Oferujemy darmową pomoc w tłumaczeniach Polski-Angielski. Mieszkanka Gorebridge i tłumaczka, Monika Chłapowska pomoże w tłumaczeniu listów, wypełnieniu formularzy lub rozmowach telefonicznych, w każdy poniedziałek między godziną 14 a 15. Serdecznie zapraszamy! [/one-third]