The History of the Eric Liddell Centre
After a year of discussion, on the 31st October 1978, four Edinburgh churches, Christ Church, Morningside, Morningside Congregational Church (where Eric Liddell was a member and taught Bible Class - now known as Morningside United Church), Morningside Baptist Church and North Morningside Parish Church agreed:
“To encourage the setting up of a Centre as proposed, subject to sufficient interest of individuals within each church joining the Centre as individual members”
The notes of the time go on to say:
“Subsequent circulars and signatures establish that such interest greatly exceeds the minimum required.”
A steering committee was then appointed to progress the proposal.
Notes from 1980 reveal:
“The Steering Committee set up by the four churches two years ago has now completed its work….. Your steering committee now asks for your full support in setting up and establishing the Holy Corner Church Centre.”
Purpose of the Centre:
“To act on behalf of Morningside Baptist Church, Christ Church Morningside, North Morningside Church and Morningside Congregational Church as an expression of their joint Christian witness to further the provision of community services to all members of the community of whatever age and whatever circumstance, irrespective of denominational life.”
They state that “Whatever we do apart we can do more effectively together”
The meeting held on 30th January 1980 for the inauguration of the Holy Corner Church Centre became “an historic milestone in the life and development of our churches.”
Charitable status was granted in July 1981.
In October 1981 the Centre purchased North Morningside Parish Church for the princely sum of £20,000.
In October 1982 Morningside United Church (an historic union of members of the former North Morningside Parish Church and Morningside Congregational Church) gave an interest free loan of £10,000.
In May 1984 the Council of the Holy Corner Church Centre agreed the setting up of a separate trading company…. “The Sycomore” provided teas, coffees, snacks and lunches at reasonable prices. It also sold cards, books and souvenirs.
In 1986 the Pastoral Foundation was established in offices in New Hall. The Pastoral Foundation was originally set up to provide training services for ministers and church leadership teams. Over the years they have developed into a highly regarded counselling service that is now known as “The PF Counselling Service”.
As plans got underway to refurbish the former church building by holding an architectural competition, the then minister of Morningside United Church, Revd. J. Stewart Miller suggested linking the Holy Corner Church Centre name with Eric Liddell. On Feb 23rd 1987 the jury met to consider competitors' plans and choose a winner of the competition to design a Centre capable of serving the local community well into the 21st Century. Nicholas Groves-Raines Architects was chosen as the winner.
April 1987 was a busy month in which the trustees agreed that the development and building scheme should be promoted as the “Eric Liddell Centre”.
The 1987 AGM reports progress and growth in the following activities:
Fellowship of Healing, Pastoral Foundation, Lunch Club, Napier Club, Job Club and The Sycomore. It was also agreed that a central office for the benefit of churches and Centre should be set up.
It was noted that they would require to raise £1m for the building scheme.
The Eric Liddell Centre Appeal was launched on 18th February 1993.
The Executive Committee advised the Board on 17th November 1993 that a tender in the sum of £598,695 had been accepted. By this time £410,604 had been raised.
The Centre continued to develop new services including The Corner, a drop in service for people with mental health problems created in partnership with Christ Church , Morningside. The Tuesday and Thursday Clubs were also added to the Centre’s portfolio in an effort to provide specialised day care for people with a diagnosis of dementia.
A report by one of the trustees, Professor John Richardson, on the future management of the Centre in 1993 recommended the appointment of a manager for the Centre. A group was set up to progress the recommendation by “bringing in a person who could drive through sufficient activities to make the Centre financially viable.”
Phase 1 of the Eric Liddell Centre development was completed and opened in 1994 at which time the Centre was visited by HRH the Prince of Wales. Many of the Centre’s users still talk about their delight at meeting and chatting to Prince Charles!
The 1995 AGM heard of the appointment of a Community Projects Manager who started in October 1995 initially funded for two years by the three local churches. Operating in the completed ground floor of the Centre and in the former church hall, the Centre had approximately 300 users attending eight groups at this time. There were 2 tenancies.
The Centre was also working closely with the newly set up 3Ms Development Project, a partnership of local charities, community groups and politicians, who were committed to researching the needs of the local community. The Ca(i)re – Putting the “I” into Care Project was being developed by this time in partnership with other groups who have a specialist interest in supporting informal caregivers in their arduous and stressful roles.
The 3Ms Social Needs Survey was published in November 1996 and was to hold a pivotal role in the future development of the Centre. In addition to the support that this research provided for the Centre and other local groups, it also highlighted the need for youth work in the area. The Centre is proud to have been a founding partner of the 3Ms Millennium Volunteer Partnership that was more recently renamed the 3Ms Youth Partnership. The Partnership was set up to address the need for youth work in the local community.
The Liddell Viewpoint programme commenced in November 1997. Meeting in the common room at Viewpoint Housing Association’s premises at Gillespie Crescent this programme provided offsite, specialist day care services to people with a diagnosis of dementia. Recently, this service was relocated to the Centre's Bradbury Suite.
By December 1998 an additional £1.2m had been raised for Phase 2 which was completed by November 2000. The Business Plan of the time shows the Centre being used by 28 other groups and 446 users per week and anticipating growth to 746 per week on completion of Phase 2.
In 2002, The Sycomore Cafe underwent a revamp and changed its name to THE1924. In the autumn of 2004, Mrs Patricia Russell ( Eric Liddell’s eldest daughter) and other members of the Liddell family attended the opening of a permanent exhibition of photographs depicting important moments in Eric Liddell's life in THE1924. It continues to serve the community as "Café Gold" (renamed in 2007) but now also provides a functions facility to groups using the Centre. in the meantime the photgraphic exhibition has been relocated within the Centre.
Since its establishment use of the Centre has continued to grow til now, including the Centre’s own projects, over 130 user groups serve approximately 2,500 people of all ages each week of the year. Six other charities occupy office space there.
With the support of Historic Scotland and Heritage Lottery, over £450,000 was raised to complete Phase 3 of the Centre's refurbishment. These Phase 3 works included the restoration of many of the Centre’s wonderful stained glass windows and repairs to the tower and roof of the café. Why not ask about a tour to view the windows?
The foundations having been laid, it is our hope and prayer that the God who has been so faithful over in past years will help us to create the future he calls us to.
In the meantime we give thanks for a generation of members, volunteers, trustees and committee members who have given their time, expertise and love to ensure that the vision they were called to achieve became and becomes reality.