Southdown Refurbishment Project's Autumn Update!
Jeff Parsons, one of the key people linked with the refurbishment project creating a brand new Methodist Church Centre in Southdown, updates us on the massive £986,000 community impacting project. His wife Jane said previously: "We will provide a new hall facility, a refurbished worship area, and a totally modernised and upgraded, redecorated premises with renewable energy for heating."
Read Jeff's Report!
(PICTURES: JEFF'S PICTURES OF THE CHURCH OCTOBER 2011 AND JANE PARSONS)
It is now the beginning of October as I sit here writing this, autumn weather outside, leaves blowing off the trees and a general end of season feel about the place.
However we have something to look forward to later in the month when the 
Contractor will be handing over the completed Phase one of the project and with the removal of the scaffolding the external refurbishment will be revealed in all its splendour!
After the fine weather in the first few weeks of the contract things turned a little nasty and for a while Seddon struggled to keep the rain out of the building. It is one thing to plan, on paper, a procedure and time/activity chart, it is quite another, when the weather turns against you to keep exactly to programme.
A couple of particularly nasty storms in July created difficulties not only for Seddon but also users of the premises and we had some hard decisions to make about the ability or even desirability of keeping the Centre open for the activities to continue.
We had planned to close most activities during August in the normal way and in the end only two continued. This allowed Seddon to undertake essential work to the ladies, gents and accessible toilet areas. We are grateful to our users who have had their activities disrupted and who have shown a great degree of understanding, patience and Christian fortitude in the face of adversity.
Work in planning for the kitchen refitting has suddenly taken on a greater degree of urgency and the sub-committee entrusted with this task is beavering away with “optimum layout designs, discussions about fittings and what type of worktop to put in, whether or not to cook by gas or electricity and a host of other details.
The contractor is still just about on target, despite the delays due to weather and 
should be ready to hand over by the target date of mid January, at which time we should be completing the kitchen refit. It is also good to be able to report that at just over the half way stage we are still working within our budget. The costs, month by month are being closely monitored by our professional advisers.
We have put a tentative date of 18th to 20th May for a Grand Re-opening and Rededication Weekend and as part of this will probably open the Centre on a number of weekends prior for a sneak preview for all who might be interested. Further details will be announced as they become available.
We continue to be encouraged by the prayerful support which is coming from all quarters and by a small stream of smaller donations . More would be very welcome.
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