Facts & Figures |
| Organisation Name: | The Fisherrow Trust |
| Individual Name: | |
| Area Served: | Musselburgh and surrounding communities, East Lothian. |
| Population: | 90,088 |
| Sketch: | The coastal town of Musselburgh is situated on both sides of the River Esk in East Lothian. Fisherrow is the traditional name for the settlement on the west side of the river, whose inhabitants worked in the fishing and associated industries. By the late 1960s the local fishing industry went into decline and disappeared, along with the local paper and wire mills and coal mining at Monktonhall. Musselburgh people now find work with the local council, at three small industrial estates, in local shops, hotels and restaurants and some travel the short distance to Edinburgh. Musselburgh is famous for its racecourse and its golf course, the latter believed to be the oldest in the world. |
| Legal Form: | Company limited by guarantee with charitable status. |
| Volunteers: | 0 |
| People Benefitting: | Over 1000 people per week use the Centre, encompassing all ages |
| Staff: | 1 |
| Turnover: | £34,000 |
| Earned Income: | £17,000 |
| Assets: | 99 years lease on building (this cannot be used as security for a bank loan). |
| Value of assets: | Approximately £10,000 worth of equipment. |
Roots & Links |
| Origins: | Fisherrow Community Centre first opened in 1977 in the annex of the former Fisherrow School in Musselburgh. It offered a wide programme of activities and services. In 1997, due to high overheads and maintenance costs the centre was threatened with possible closure and demolition. After consultation with local people and the completion of a feasibility study, it was decided that the centre could run on a financially self-sustaining basis by letting out low cost office accommodation to voluntary organisations, supported by a regular fixed grant from the Council. As a result, in 2006 the Fisherrow Trust was formed. |
| Governance: | The six trustees are all local community residents or users of the centre. Local residents and centre users are invited to be considered as Trustees and others are approached for their particular expertise. The trustees are keen to maintain a balance between expertise and local representation. |
| Community Links: | There are no formal links but the trust has been supported in particular by Musselburgh and Inveresk Community Council and Musselburgh and Inveresk Conservation Society. There is strong support also from the groups using the centre. |
| External Links: | The trust works in partnership with East Lothian Council. The council deploy community learning and development staff who manage the day-to-day activity of the community centre. Links to the Coalfields Regeneration Trust and member of DTA Scotland. |
Activities |
| Physical Hub: | The Fisherrow Centre provides accommodation for a wide range of organisations and activities. . |
| Builds Local Capacity: | Supports local people to develop their skills and confidence through a range of volunteering and learning opportunities. |
| Delivers Services: | The Fisherrow Centre houses a wide range of activities and services including an extensive adult education programme, classes in dance, health and fitness and arts and crafts, a nursery, youth club, gym hall, wood turning suite, training and employment services and a special needs resource centre. Tenants that fdelover services include the Scottish Association of Mental Health, East Lothian Out of School Care Network, Action for Employment (A4E) and the Borders Scrap Store. |
| Develops/Manages Property: | The Trust leases the buildings from the East Lothian Council on a 99 year lease and manages an extensive and ongoing renovation programme of the buildings. |
| Other: | |
| Main Achievements: | • The Trust has successfully fundraised over £400,000 to renovate the old buildings and halt the dereliction that had set in through years of neglect.
• Attracting long term tenants to the centre that provide valuable services for local people
|
What Next |
| Biggest Challenge: | Finding funding for the next phase of the refurbishment project. |
| Lessons Learned: | Making sure that the Trust QS and the contractors QS are in constant communication to avoid going over budget. |
| Aspirations: | A fully refurbished centre providing accommodation for future Trust developments. |
Contact |
| Name: | Shona McMillan |
| Title: | Development Officer |
| Address Line 1: | The Fisherrow Trust, South Street, Musselburgh, EH21 6A |
| Address Line 2: | EH21 6AT |
| City: | |
| County: | |
| Telephone: | 0131 665 4175 |
| Fax: | 0131 665 7208 |
| Email: | fisherrow@btconnect.com |
| Website URL: | www.fisherrowcentre.org.uk |
| District: | |
