voluntary organisations, social enterprises and volunteering
voluntary organisations, social enterprises and volunteering
New charity ‘hub’ takes over unique Kirkcaldy building
Created: 8/6/2015A unique and historic building in the centre of Kirkcaldy has been given a new lease of life as a ‘hub’ for Fife’s third sector organisations, after lying empty for almost 18 months.
Management of the property, which looks onto both Wemyssfield and East Fergus Place, has been taken over by Fife Voluntary Action following a handover agreement with the owners, Fife Council. Work is already underway to redecorate the interior, and new signs are appearing, showing the building’s reinvention as ‘New Volunteer House’.
As well as providing affordable office space to third sector organisations, New Volunteer House offers training, interview and meeting space for hire.
Fife Voluntary Action have already welcomed their first tenants and demand for the remaining office space is high, but Chief Executive Kenny Murphy hopes the building will be more than just a place to go to work. He said: “New Volunteer House has the potential to become a real hub – a place where third sector organisations can pool resources, learn together and from each other and really maximise the impact they have on people and communities in Fife.”
Among the first tenants to take up residence in New Volunteer House are Frontline Fife, Youth 1st and Disabilities Fife.
New Volunteer House was originally two separate late-Victorian buildings that were linked in 1938. During the 1st World War the Wemyssfield building was rented by the War Office and was sold to the local ‘Burgh Council’ in 1919 for the princely sum of £1500.
Since then, the ever-evolving property has housed various Council services including Fife Education Authority. For over 30 years until 2013 it was the main Kirkcaldy Social Work office (now based at the Town House).
For more information contact New Volunteer House on 01592 645 300.