Kirkcaldy community centre’s extra space benefits host of groups

Linton Lane Centre in Templehall has completed its installation of two portable cabins to further support the community with extra space for Kirkcaldy Foodbank, the Polish School, and other services.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

The cabins are the culmination of the centre’s ‘Room for the Community’ project which was funded by a local businessman and supermarket giants Morrisons.

Mandy Henderson, centre manager, said: “A local businessman donated the two cabins in memory of his mother and grandparents.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"After reading a story in the Fife Free Press at the start of lockdown last year about our funding issues, they wanted to do something to help.

The newly installed portacabins.The newly installed portacabins.
The newly installed portacabins.

“Morrisons also awarded us a grant of £15,000 to the project which has provided equipment, flooring, electrics and WIFI for the two cabins.

Lee Robertson, Fife Council welfare support officer with George Lindsay, board member.Lee Robertson, Fife Council welfare support officer with George Lindsay, board member.
Lee Robertson, Fife Council welfare support officer with George Lindsay, board member.

"The cabins were painted by Paint Systems Ltd which they donated so kindly – they both now blend into the area so well that I have had people come in and ask where they are!”

The project aimed to add the cabins to the centre to accommodate the increasing demand for the foodbank and other services as the rising number of visitors to the centre meant that it was rapidly running out of space.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“The move has given Kirkcaldy Foodbank its own space to work from while we still store stock and support clients from the centre when extra support is needed.

"This has allowed the centre programme to slowly start again, freeing up the large space the foodbank has required since the start of COVID.

Kirkcaldy Foodbank volunteers.Kirkcaldy Foodbank volunteers.
Kirkcaldy Foodbank volunteers.

“The second cabin is now ready for the Polish School to use every Saturday as a classroom – it has over 100 children attending.

“Fife Council Welfare staff also use it one day a week to support foodbank clients or anyone in the community looking for advice.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"Other support services have enquired to use the space and it is going to be a huge help to the centre’s programme.”She added: “George Lindsay our volunteer and board member has been amazing - he has laid all the carpet tiles, helped volunteers who painted the cabins, and ensured that all was safe with cabling.

“The project has again proved to myself and the board that the centre is important to the community and the kindness that people have shown us can be overwhelming at times.”

Thank you for reading this article on our free-to-read website. We're more reliant on your support than ever as the shift in consumer habits brought about by coronavirus impacts our advertisers.

Please consider purchasing a subscription to our print newspaper to help fund our trusted, fact-checked journalism.