Leith St Andrews Playgroup

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Background

Leith St Andrew’s Charity run Playgroup & Nursery faces a huge challenge. After years of providing childcare within a church building, we are now losing our premises due to the church's closure. With childcare options already stretched thin in our community and parent’s anxious regarding finding alternative childcare, we’ve been granted a lifeline – a 20-year lease on Loaning Crescent Bowling Club in Edinburgh. But this opportunity comes with significant challenges, and we need help to make this dream a reality.

Leith St Andrew Playgroup is more than a place it’s a life line for children and families but it isn’t just about the children. It’s about the whole community. The bowling club has long been a place for older residents to socialise, and we want to preserve that. Intergenerational spaces like this offer huge mental and physical health benefits.

The Loaning Crescent Bowling Club site is old and is deteriorating due to it’s age. It’s surrounded by council houses, and local residents are desperate to see the space revitalised. By breathing new life into this site, we aim to provide not only affordable childcare but also create a community hub where children can play, bowlers can continue to bowl, and neighbours can come together bringing that whole community feel.

Why It Matters

We are very much viewed as a community playgroup, have excellent working relationships with our families, and have a very homely, welcoming ethos where we are inclusive to all.

This project goes beyond bricks and mortar. Our area is crying out for affordable childcare. Local nurseries are full, and the few available are too expensive for many families. By creating a welcoming, inclusive space, we can offer families a real alternative – a place where their children can thrive, regardless of their financial situation.

The Need

To bring this vision and dream to life, we need to raise £400,000. We’ve secured £75,000 from our own funds, but we still have a long way to go. We envision replacing the old clubhouse with a new 200-square-meter building where children can learn and grow, with a green space outside for them to enjoy. In the evenings and weekends, the space will be available for community gatherings, bringing a sense of togetherness to an area that has long been neglected.

As a charity, we face unique challenges in securing financing, and we need help from grant makers, donors, and the community itself.

The old clubhouse must be demolished, the ground prepared, and a new nursery built to meet Care Inspectorate standards. Every pound raised will directly contribute to transforming this space and giving local children the start in life they deserve. Your support can make this vision a reality for a community that desperately needs it.

Why We Need You

This project is about hope – for the children who deserve a better start in life, for the parents who struggle to find affordable care, and for the community that longs for a place to gather and thrive. We have the passion, the determination, but we cannot do it alone.

With your help, we can transform this neglected space into a vibrant hub of learning, play, and community. Together, we can ensure that every child, regardless of their background, has the chance to succeed and that this community becomes a place of connection and growth for generations to come.

Please see photo of the Loaning site where we hope this dream can happen!