Staff at the Harmeny Education Trust are “thrilled” with the donation.
A mystery donor has given £250,000 to a charity which supports some of Scotland’s most vulnerable children.
The donor, who does not want their identity revealed, gifted the money to meet the cost of building a new learning hub at the Harmeny Education Trust in Balerno.
Staff and children at the charity said they were thrilled with the donation, which means the charity has now raised half of the £1.9 million needed for its Learning for Life Appeal.
The new hub will provide art and design facilities, woodworking and bike maintenance workshops, classrooms and become the focus for outdoor activities.
Harmeny will also use the facility to deliver an innovative skills-based education programme in partnership with Barnardo’s and local secondary schools to engage disadvantaged young people from the local community.
Neil Squires, the charity’s chief executive, said: ““This is the biggest single donation we’ve received so far and it puts us in a great position to raise the rest of the money we need to create amazing new facilities that will improve the lives of our children in so many ways.
“We’re incredibly grateful to everyone who has offered us support so far, particularly those with limited means because we recognise that it’s not the size of the gift that matters but the spirit of generosity in people’s hearts.
“The donation has really energised everyone involved in the appeal and we are urging businesses and individuals to join us and help raise the remaining funds to achieve our target of starting the build in early 2021. Together we can build a brighter future for our children.”
Harmeny Education Trust provides specialist care and education to children aged 5-14 from across Scotland who have experienced early years trauma, through abuse, neglect or significant family disruption. The impact of these experiences can severely damage children’s ability to manage their emotions or form positive relationships.
Mr Squires said: “Our children are inspiring; they have been through so much but have huge potential and so much to give. With the right support and facilities, they can overcome adversity and lead happy and fulfilling lives.”
“The learning hub is so much more than a building; it is key to developing our children’s potential, meeting a growing demand for our services and supporting young people within our local community.”
