News
First GCP Coffee House Gig a great success
Our first GCP Coffee House Gig
A Celebration of Creativity and Community
GCP’s first Coffee House Gig was a heart-warming celebration of creativity, bringing our community together to support and inspire one another. Our talented members took centre stage, some stepping out of their comfort zones, to showcase their incredible talents in an uplifting and inclusive space.
The event was made even more special by the dedication of our staff and volunteers, who worked behind the scenes to create a welcoming and vibrant atmosphere and provide a delicious buffet spread that added to the warmth of the evening.
It was both a joy and a privilege to witness performers grow in confidence, embracing the moment and sharing their talents to a very supportive crowd! An evening that truly embodied the spirit of GCP—creativity, connection, and community.
What an evening it was!
‘There was an amazing energy in the room, wonderful to see so many people there, and new faces too! It really is inspiring to see how our members are growing in confidence, and talent, to put on such an awesome event.
‘Thank you to the team and all performers for putting on such a memorable time. It was also great to see so many of the staff team there to enjoy a rousing event!’ Helene, GCP CEO
Youth Group MC’s
The evening was opened by Jen, our Learning and Development Coordinator, and GCP member, Sean. Before his opening speech he admitted,
‘I am so nervous.’
but afterwards confirmed
‘I am so glad I did it!’
You can see the contrast in his before and after photos!
Sean wasn’t the only young member involved. Dylan and Temi were also consummate professionals, practising hard beforehand, introducing the acts and nailing their intros on the night.
GCP Band
Top and tailing the evening was the newly formed GCP Band. Led by University of Edinburgh student volunteer, Calum, the band has grown organically from the weekly Guitar Group. Dave, the band’s singer, who also writes the haunting lyrics, stresses,
‘It is very much a team effort. They make the lyrics better with their music.’
Dave has grown in confidence since he joined GCP in 2023. You can hear some of his story in his lyrics or read more about his GCP journey here.
Poetry
Public speaking is hard for most people, but to stand and recite your own poetry can be really exposing. Three of our ‘Expressive Writing Group’ did just that, sharing their incredibly varied styles, with moving works which had been honed with the help of group leaders, Janice and Jess.
Sasha has been a member since October 2024,
‘Years ago, I did an MA in Creative Writing which was all about graphic storytelling so I’d never tried poetry before. Janice and Jess are just fabulous supporting us. Coming here tonight was so far out of my comfort zone, really scary, but I’m so glad I did it.’
Next up was Steve, who is really maximising all the creative opportunities at GCP,
‘It’s a brilliant team at GCP and an honour to be a member here – I love all the activities I take part in. I wrote as a child but that was a long time ago, so it’s fantastic to be able to do Expressive Writing now.’
Our last poet was Alastair who started his slot by saying,
‘I have been a member for 6-7 years now and it has brought me out of my shell…GCP encouraged me to try poetry so here goes…’
Music Group
The Music Group meets weekly on Thursday mornings. Currently led by University of Edinburgh student XXXXX (name), the group sang and played music they have been working on inspired by Shakespeare’s ‘The Tempest’.
Each week they sing a member’s favourite song and for their Coffee House Gig performance they chose to end with Steve’s favourite, giving a rousing version of ‘Caledonia.’
Individual musical performances – Frank and Roger
Frank is an accomplished self-taught pianist. He creates his own arrangements and for this gig,
‘I chose to play two opposite pieces, one by Harry Warren from the 1930s “I only have eyes for you” and an extract from Rimsky-Korsakov’s “Young Prince and Young Princess”. The latter is one of my favourites, it’s a romantic piece and you can hear the influence of the sea as Rimsky-Korsakov was a sailor before he was a composer.’
Roger is a regular at the Guitar Group, particularly enjoying the electric guitar. For this gig, he performed his beautiful song,
‘It’s called Dreams, there’s guitar and loop pedal – I wrote it myself.’
As the evening came to a close, Roger summed up the event well,
‘It has been a really good evening and hopefully we can do this more often!’
We agree, Roger. Everyone involved should be very proud of themselves for creating this amazing event showcasing our inclusive, supportive and talented community. GCP really is THE best place to be!
Sponsor the Members Programme
Help transform lives directly by sponsoring a Members Activity
Our Members Programme is the beating heart of what we do. Your direct support here helps ensure we continue to deliver our essential work to support the most vulnerable in our community. We guarantee at least one of our Members Activities will be the perfect fit for you or your organisation, or both!
Let’s discuss which suits you best and how we can tailor the package and relationship to your budget. Join the best of company at THE good place to be.
A BIG THANK YOU
The Grassmarket Community Project’s Members Programme relies on the generosity of our customers, funders and donors. Our key funders for this area of our work are Nationwide Community Grants, The Robertson Trust, Digital Lifelines and EVOC/Scottish Government Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund. We thank them for their essential continued support.
