from Georgiana Mazilu, Jennifer Muscat, Stewart Kerr and Hunor Deak
All at the St David's Centre
We are the North East Fife Community Hub, or the ‘Hub’ for short. The Hub is a resource for all members of the local community, based in the St Davids Centre in Albany Park. We provide vital services such as Storehouse (foodbank), Clothesline (clothes bank) and our community café, alongside meeting spaces for social gatherings and several other rentable spaces for local organisations. We are a centre of sustainability and much of our café menu is supplemented by gleaned crops and supermarket donations. Our community fridge is available to all and there you will find gleaned resources and other food donations. This fridge is available without appointment and its aim is to reduce food waste.
The Hub Mission Statement
“At the North East Fife Community Hub, we are committed to doing our best for all people in the community but especially for those living in poverty, isolation or with a disability. We seek to do this through our own activities and by partnering with other organisations with similar aims. We recognize the invaluable contributions made by staff and volunteers and seek to treat them and all our service users fairly and with respect.”
The Community Hub occupies the St Davids Centre. Community facilities such as the café and the West Wing are on the ground floor, and each of each of these rooms can be rented on an hourly basis by Community Groups. We have further rentable private offices and rooms upstairs. The building has a community garden which is currently being developed to grow vegetables and teach gardening skills.
In the Hub we host…
Storehouse St Andrews
Started by the Kingdom Vineyard Church, Storehouse provides food for the community. Anyone in need can be referred, and you will be helped.
The Storehouse organises free events throughout the year, such as ‘Games and Giveaway’, where cooked food is available and local musicians are invited to provide entertainment. There are lots of games and it is a great way to bring the community together.
Opening Times
To get food: Tuesdays and Thursdays 11am-1pm Wednesdays 1-2:30pm
To donate food: Tuesdays and Thursdays 2-4pm
You can find out more and get a referral form at: storehousestandrews.com
Phone: 01334 845 985
Clothesline (St Andrews Clothes Bank)
"This humble yet impactful resource serves as a lifeline for individuals and families facing financial struggles or unexpected hardships. In 2023 we gave away over 1600 bags of clothes, bedding and household items to families and individuals in Northeast Fife. We also work closely with Fife Council, Transition, University of St Andrews, St Andrews Environmental Network and Fife Voluntary Action to help refugees and families in need."
"Sustainability is key to the success of the Clothesline. Through thoughtful donations and efficient management, we ensure that our resources are used wisely to benefit as many people as possible. By encouraging recycling and reusing clothing items, we also strive to minimize waste and promote environmental stewardship. We have a Repair, Recycle Session every Monday where clothes are being mended and this is a place where connections are forged, and friendships are nurtured. Get involved!"
Short of clothes? This is the organisation to go to! They provide everything (from socks to blankets!) to anybody who needs them. To find out more, just email Georgiana at: georgiana@nefch.org
The Hub Community Cafe
This is a warm and welcoming place with its own full scale commercial kitchen. The Café provides low-cost warm meals and a community destination for the people who need it most. The Hub provides books (along with a book exchange!), board games, a quiet room and lots of pre-planned activities!
Just go on our Facebook page to see the menu and our program: facebook.com/CommunityHubNEF
How you can get involved...
Like all community centers, The Hub is always short of funding and volunteers. We currently need more volunteers to keep the Hub running, and any help you can give would be appreciated, no matter your skillset! This is a hub for the community and should be run by the community. The Hub along with the Cosmos Centre provides essential help for the community of St Andrews and Northeast Fife and to make sure it thrives we will always need help.
We still have empty space to rent. So, if you are a local group, student society or just in need of office space, please pop in for a chat or email jen@nefch.org to ask about our rates. We also have free, plentiful parking spaces (which are in short supply in town!) and free Wi-Fi - perfect for quick catch ups that won't break the bank.
Our Wishlist...
Our lift has broken down. Whilst the ground floor is accessible for people with disabilities, there is no similar access to the first floor. Repairing this is one of our highest priorities. So, if you’re feeling full of the generous spirit of Christmas, all donations would be greatly appreciated.
To continue our work in the garden, we are looking to source a greenhouse and gardening equipment. If you have anything that might help, please contact us to discuss. Donations are very helpful. We will also be looking for people to get involved in the community garden, so if you are interested, please reach out.
St Andrews Storehouse always needs tinned meat of all kinds (e.g. corned beef, tinned ham, Fray Bentos pies), tinned fish, instant coffee, UHT milk, biscuits, sugar, potatoes, microwavable rice, cereal, household cleaning items and toilet paper!
Special request for volunteers
Could you help being an Administrative Assistant? We would love to welcome local people and students to help with administration. We’ll train you in grants application and other useful and necessary skills. So many people have helped us get to this stage and they are all due a huge thanks!
Editor's Note: When St Andrews in Focus magazine can be distributed physically again, you will be able to find copies at The North East Fife Community Hub, as they are now working alongside us as a distrubtion partner.
Comments