Well here we are again and I just can’t believe it is two months on since I last wrote to you all with our progress to date and I hope you enjoy reading.

Wow! The great news (13 December) we received planning permission. This has been hanging over our heads since October awaiting a decision. Nothing serious but there are a few conditions we have to fulfil such as surface drainage, foul water drainage and the Forestry Officer raised a few questions mainly relating to tree roots which cost us £534 to employ someone to look into the situation for us and placate the Officer in question. One thing that pleases me is that the Committee took the decision to employ an architect planner to oversee our planning permission and I don’t think we would have got through this easily without his help costing us around £900. He still has work to do to follow up on SODC’s stipulations on the land and building.

On Thursday 1 December we held our first meeting at Springwater Church Cafe which I hailed as very successful as people did what I was hoping they mingled and got to know each other. We shall hopefully hold another meeting there in February. One thing that did emerge apparently some asked the question as where we go from here and what will we do when the Shed finally opens.

Where do we go – as far as I can see is we have to go all out fundraising and the sooner we get money in the sooner we open up. As far as what YOU do is up to you the members. The way I have set this up we shall have a volunteer Leader who takes responsibility for the running of the Shed including health and safety but thankfully I do have the services of a Health & Safety Officer to oversee. Then we have a number of Day Leaders who will supervise on a particular day with you the members probably around 8 or 10 per session and YOU work out with the Day Leader exactly what you want to do and how to do it. I am on the look out for a volunteer Leader preferably from amongst you the Members who will have a seat on our Committee and become a Trustee. The Day Leaders will be responsible to the Leader. After that my role more or less ceases although I will take a keen interest as a Trustee that Shedquarters is properly run.

It has been the most marvellous week because besides achieving planning permission I was given a metalworking lathe, then an anonymous £10,000, have been promised £5000 when planning permission obtained. Richard Martin’s wife gave £250 from her plant sales and £160 from Tim Elwell a member have not yet had the pleasure in meeting. Then, but not least, Harmony the choir which meets at Peppard War Memorial Hall gave the proceeds of their Christmas Concert to us which amounted to £2800. We need more weeks like this !! The whole project is likely to cost £45,000 and our immediate objective now is to draw up leases between Peppard War Memorial Hall and ourselves. Because of the generosity of the Hall in this venture we agreed from the beginning to pay the total legal bill for both, the least we could do in the circumstances.

In addition I give a very warm welcome to friends Viv Binder and Clive Mills who approached me recently to offer to fundraise for us and they will also co-ordinate fundraising so anyone able to help should contact me and I will put you in touch. They are doing this on a voluntary basis and are not attached to our Committee and some of you may have met them at Springwater Cafe recently.

Wishing you all a Happy Christmas and Healthy Happy New Year, we need it!

Take care.

Sheila. Founder & Chair Shedquarters