About us
We are a local Edinburgh charity dedicated to the Old Town
Our mission
We are the Edinburgh Old Town Development Trust – a local charity dedicated to the Old Town of Edinburgh, Scotland. Founded in 2009, our mission is to provide community for the residents of the Old Town. Our vision is a vibrant, welcoming and sustainable Old Town for everyone who lives here.
We provide a range of community services year around to people living in the Old Town Conservation Area and the neighbourhood of Dumbiedykes. We cooperate with partner organisations in Edinburgh and further afield to support our community and to advocate for its needs.
Our dedicated staff and volunteers make our work possible, along with our funders and supporters. Our community hub off the Canongate, the Crannie, hosts a wide variety of activities and events. Our initiatives include our Art Club, Music Circle, Create & Connect, Creative Writing, Cooking Club, Community Lunch, Crannie Pantry, Crannie Amblers, Digital Drop In, Open Days and Upcycling Group.
We are a Scottish registered charity and a member of the Development Trusts Association Scotland. Our membership is comprised of residents of the Old Town and Dumbiedykes as well as friends who live outwith the Old Town. Together, we work to build a better Old Town for everyone who lives here with us.
Our story
For over 1,500 years, the Old Town was the entirety of the City of Edinburgh. Extending the length of the Royal Mile from Edinburgh Castle to the Palace of Holyroodhouse and the Scottish Parliament, it bounds Calton Road and the railway line to the north and Lauriston Place and Drummond Street to the south. Within that area, it includes the Grassmarket and West Port on the west and Abbeyhill and Croft-an-Righ on the east.
While the borders of Edinburgh expanded from the late 18th century onwards, the Old Town has always remained the heart of the city. Across the centuries, the Old Town and its inhabitants have made a profound and lasting impact on Scottish culture and public life at the centre of the capital.
In recent times, the Old Town has become a focal point for regular tourism and the annual festivals. While we welcome our guests and appreciate the contributions that they make to our society, we want the Old Town to be much more than a thoroughfare. The Old Town is our home and we aspire to be a genuine community.
That mission of community defines the Edinburgh Old Town Development Trust. The Trust was established in 2009 with a commitment to support the Old Town as a place to live. Over the years, the Trust has grown and evolved. In 2019, we opened the Crannie, our community hub in Cranston Street which hosts activities, meetings and events. Today, we continue to advance our commitment to community for the Old Town.
Our team
The Trust is governed by our Board of Directors and run by our staff members.
Our Board
Andrew Brough
Chair of the Board
John McLuckie
Secretary of the Board
Matthew Crighton
Otis Orteseh
Laura Venturato
Our Staff
Jackie Cropper
Chief Executive Officer
Carolynn Reddell
Facilities and Operations Manager
Hollie Ruddick
Community Development Manager
Rowena Weir
Community Health Coordinator
Cadence Yu
Art Development Worker
Ross Georgeson
Project Worker – Create and Connect & Art Club
Mo Innes
Project Worker – Arts & Making Memories
Our partners
Our partners include: the Edinburgh Old Town Community Council, the University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh World Heritage, Canongate Youth, Edinburgh & Lothians Greenspaces Trust, the Dumbiedykes Working Group, the Charteris Centre, FareShare and LGBT Youth Scotland. We welcome new partnerships with organisations to support the residents and community of the Old Town.
Our funders
Our funders have included: the City of Edinburgh Council, the National Lottery Community Fund, Edinburgh Voluntary Organisations’ Council, the Robertson Trust, Awards for All, and WHALE Arts Agency. We are very grateful to our funders and welcome new funding partnerships to support our work.