Ceilidh nights at Haven Centre cafe in Inverness to support young people with complex needs
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Ceilidh nights are being introduced at a community cafe in Inverness to help support a pioneering centre.
The events will be held at the Haven Centre which supports young people with complex needs in the Highlands and their families.
As Scotland's first purpose-built centre of its kind, it opened last August and features play facilities, respite suites and a garden as well as the community cafe which is open to members of the public and all who use the centre.
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The Haven Centre, located in Murray Road in Smithton, is now introducing open mic ceilidh nights once a month on Thursday evenings, starting on March 14 from 7.30pm to 9pm.
It comes at a time when the Elsie Normington Foundation – the charity behind the centre which took 10 years and £4.8 million to achieve – had a devastating blow after being told it will not receive expected funding of £136,544 from the Scottish Government.
The ceilidhs are being promoted as an evening of music, coffee and chat and the chance to meet up with friends while donations collected on the evening will support the Haven Centre.
Rona Matheson, development officer for the Elsie Normington Foundation, said the aim is to create a cafe atmosphere with people dropping in to enjoy music.
The first evening will feature a mix of fiddle and accordion music but the centre is keen to hear from musicians and singers interested in performing.
"Pubs do lots of music nights," Mrs Matheson said.
"We are trying to create a cafe atmosphere where people can have a coffee, meet their friends and drop in while music is being played."
It is also hoped that more people will get to know about the cafe.
