The Edward Hain Centre is proud to announce that it has secured more than £172,000 from the National Lottery Community Fund, enabling the charity to strengthen and expand its health and wellbeing provision for the local community.
This award will help cover essential running costs while also funding the recruitment of two new staff members, ensuring further development of services for residents in St Ives and beyond.
A giant cheque presentation is planned as part of the Centre’s Community Open Day on 6th September. Chair of Trustees Lynne Isaacs shared her delight: ‘This is very timely icing on our birthday cake! We’ve come a long way in the two years since we opened, but there’s still a long way to go,’
Initially, the Centre operated with just one staff member, Sharron Goldingay, who faced major challenges such as handling the £400,000 mortgage taken to meet the NHS’s £1 million asking price, carrying out urgent renovations, and meeting strict health and safety requirements.
Thanks to donations, grant funding, and community fundraising led by the Friends of the Edward Hain Centre, the charity established several free initiatives, including the NHS-run Pain Café and a Knit and Natter group. In May 2024, the St Ives Food Bank also began operating from the Centre, further enhancing its role in community life.
The hiring of an office administrator and a community hub officer last September marked a significant turning point. By January, the Centre was able to offer an expanded programme of free wellbeing sessions, from yoga and Pilates to social afternoons for care home residents. Independent providers such as Penwith Ear Care and Samantha Evamy Counselling also set up within the building.
Now, with the support of the National Lottery Community Fund—the largest community funder in the country—the Centre enters its next phase of growth. As Sharron Goldingay remarked: ‘Considering how much extra life and activity our first two staff members brought into the building, we’re very excited about how many more services we could now provide!’
Future developments under consideration include additional support groups, Falls Prevention courses, and an adult education programme.
As the new Centre Director, Sharron is focusing on long-term sustainability. With half the building still in need of repair, she and fundraising strategist Samantha Peters will seek major capital investment in 2026. Once fully restored, the Centre will be able to welcome more service providers, including NHS and mental health groups, securing both financial stability and enhanced community wellbeing.
The team will showcase this achievement at their Community Open Day on 6th September. Full details at: https://EdwardHainCentre.org.uk/Community-OpenDay-2025.
National Lottery players contribute over £30 million every week to worthy causes across the UK. In the past year alone, this support enabled the Fund to distribute more than £600 million to over 13,700 projects. Find out more at www.TNLCommunityFund.org.uk.
Contacts:
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Kit Hain Grindstaff (Trustee/Social Media): +1 215 862 0180 (landline); WhatsApp +1 267 272 3920; eventsandmedia@edwardhaincentre.org.uk
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Sharron Goldingay (Centre Director): 01736 691233; centremanager@edwardhaincentre.org.uk
