This is an excellent neighbourhood centre…read more It has a wide range of classes, activities, groups and events to suit people of all ages and abilities. My husband attends the Dad & Kids club with our four children (13, 11, 7 and 23 months) and they all enjoy the group and the centres well equipped rooms and modern layout. The staff are extremely friendly and helpful and everyone is made to feel welcome. This is a modern building with a huge amount of soul.

I ALWAYS hear about Shelter. Shelter this Shelter that. Shelter's the best charity shop, etc. And I…read moredo like it, though I've never found anything at all that suited me there. But it's never lived up to the rumours that always precede it. It's a bogstandard charity shop. It has books, it has dvds, cds, records (not many of these) and it has clothes, of course. The thing with charity shops is that the quality (and quantity) is dependent upon the location of the charity shop. Stockbridge shops are pretty good because rich people live there. Marchmont charity shops (the one) are good because there's a huge turnover of students. This Forrest Road one, not that great, but decent. See, there's a huge turnover of students, but there's also huge traffic that goes through that area, and buys the good stuff from the shop. But Shelter is definitely on the higher end of charity shops, so stop by and have a wander.

This is a great little charity shop with a wide selection of secondhand clothes, both ladies' and…read moregents', as well as a small but well stocked book section towards the back, brik a brak and various new kitchen items sold at discounted prices. The staff are generally friendly and helpful. The only criticism I would have of this shop is that it is quite cramped - although there are a great number of good quality items the shop floor is quite small and this gives the feeling that as much as possible has been crammed into far too small a space. It is difficult for two people to pass one another in the aisles, however there are generally no more than 4-5 people in the shop at any one time. A good place to pick up some bargains as Shelter's pricing is very reasonable.

I have been to a few events here and the Grassmarket Community Centre has a modern new building and…read morenice event spaces. I've been in the main hall for a wine reception event and the space worked equally well for that for 100 people and also for a seminar for 15 people. There is a cafe in the front of the building and I believe they do film screenings either in the main hall or another screening room. The location is easy to get to and the staff seemed friendly enough and accommodating to host various events. The lunch they served us was really nice with flavourful carrot soup, an assortment of sandwiches, and a tray of cut up fresh fruit that was nicely presented. The wifi also worked well and I had no complaints about the event space. #underdog #newonyelp

Grassmarket Community Project was the building we stopped in when we were on our guided tour of…read moreEdinburgh. Has a nice café and indoor/outdoor seating area with reasonable prices. Stop in for a cake, coffee, or just to relax and remember that your patronage goes back into helping the community.

you can hire out the halls here for parties etc. its clean and tidy and has ample free parkingread more

I've been living in Leith for over 6 years now and thought it was about time I checked out my local…read morecommunity centre! Leith Community Education Centre is based on the first floor of the Newkirkgate shopping centre, at the bottom of Leith Walk and is apparently one of the busiest community centres in Edinburgh. Approximately 3,000 people use the centre every week! It has a decent sized sports hall, a smaller hall, 4 general purpose rooms, crèche, public computers with free internet access, lending library and a wee café. They have loads of groups using the space from youth groups, literacy support, carers support, outreach teaching, help with stopping smoking and support for people with a learning disability, dance classes, drama groups, history groups, art classes, martial arts and children's movement classes. One group I notice on the poster board was 'Gleeith' the new community singing group in Leith! Brilliant! Not something I'll be joining with my crying cat voice, but I love the play of words! So I ventured there one snowy evening to try out a dance inspired class called 'Stretch and Tone'. You the enter the centre via the external steps and across a balcony, which could be tricky to find if you didn't know the area. The centre was fairly utilitarian looking (most community centres are) but there have designed quirky windows features into the modern scheme which adds a bit of interest to the building. The class was good, but sadly only 2 of us braved the snowy conditions, but I'm glad I did, I felt 2 inches taller after it! I picked up the centre brochure upon leaving so I may well return and check out some of the other classes they have available soon.

been coming here [member] for over 19 years. superb staff , a very good cafe, a bit worried about…read morewhat i read on leithsucks.net on there latest member of staff who is about to 'join the team' this centre caters for adult classes, bowls, art class, dancing. the full list is very long. there are also youth clubs-[ separate male / female.] and a satuarday special day when virtually all kinds of dancing [highland, tap, modern.] all for children. if you are a parent, you must get youself along to see everything that this centre can provide!

Pilmeny Development Project (PDP) has been around in Leith since 1979. It is managed by local…read moreresidents and is funded by the City of Edinburgh Council and through its own fundraising efforts. The overall aim of the Pilmeny Development Project is to support local residents and groups and to encourage self-help ideas to resolve their own issues and improve their own quality of life. A wholesome community outlook. They work with older people and carers who seek to encourage an active involvement with a wider range of Community Planning, Health and Community Care service providers, such as the North East Edinburgh Older Men's Health and Well-being Project. At the other end of the scale, they run several youth clubs Monday-Wednesday evenings for different age groups. Here, they aim to improve young peoples social, educational and recreational needs. As well as a regular weekly club, they arrange trips during the holidays. Adults are not forgotten either, there are a range and provision of services which enables them to meet their social, educational and recreational needs too. All groups run at a very low cost to make it accessible for all. This an amazing scheme which would benefit from a lot more funding, which they are continually trying to source. The project recently achieved recognition from INVESTING IN VOLUNTEERS for their excellent work with volunteers - this is something awarded to organisations who have clearly demonstrated a high quality standard of support and work with volunteers.

very helpful receptionist,it was unfortunate the cafe didn't open until 10am however excellent well…read morestocked vending machines are available

Good facilities for the local area, featuring a pool, gym, fitness classes and indoor halls for…read morerental. They do badminton, basketball, table tennis, soft play etc. Lots on offer. It's got a municipal feel to it - don't expect spa quality or vibe. Still, it's affordable and important for the local community as there are no other facilities like this nearby unless you get into private gyms, which come with a silly price tag. There's a huge amount of parking, along with cycle storage.

As a volunteer for the Red Cross, my review may be a little biased, but I like the organisation so…read moremuch that I'm willing to spend a considerable amount of my free time supporting them and that's certainly a recommendation! The Red Cross provide many services and further details can be found on their website but locally some of the most important in my mind are - First aid training for the public (and companies) helping individuals deal with emergency situations - Fire and Emergency Support Service, where volunteers support the fire service by providing emotional support and practical advice (insurance, food, help finding accommodation) to those affected by house fires - Medical loan, providing medical equipment to those who need it - First aid at events The Red Cross provides excellent support and training to its volunteers and I personally think the first aid training offered is the best available. I'd hope any companies considering training for their First Aid at Work needs would consider the Red Cross as the monies raised support the organisations charitable work