And so it begins!

Dear Sheddies, it's been a while since we wrote, and the delay is not without reason. We have been waiting to be able to report an exciting development which will mark the next phase is Sheddington's development.

For some months we have been in negotiation with St Mark's church about using the former Scout hall for Sheddington, and we are delighted to annoucne that we have now agreed a license to occupy with St Mark's, meaning that we can begin repurposing the hall as a workshop and social space for the community.

 

Getting started

Sheddington founder Chris Manning lost no time in swapping his stethoscope  for a hard hat to begin dismantling the ceiling which will be insulated and relined. Then the hall will be completely re-wired, a new kitchen installed and a partition wall installed to separate the workshop and social areas.

All this will involve a lot of work over the coming months, so if you are keen to help, or have skills that could benefit Sheddington, please don't hesitate to get in touch with us.

Once the hall is completed it will greatly expand the range of activities we are able to undertake at Sheddington, as well as our capacity for visitors, expecially during inclement weather. So do make sure you're signed up for our newsletter to keep up to date with the latest developments. And if there is something you'd like to do which you don't see covered yet, why not drop us a suggestion?

 

 

 

We need your support

Of course all this does not come cheap! Whilst most of the cost of upgrading the hall will be covered by generous grants that Sheddington has received, we now have to find £5,000 - £6,000 a year to rent the hall, pay for utilities and other ongoing expenses. Many Sheddies have already given generously, but if you have not already done so, would you consider becoming a Supporter by contributing £60 or more a year? You can find details of how to become a Supporter here. We don't want anyone to feel excluded, so if you cannot afford the suggested amount, please speak in confidence to a member of the committee and just give what you can. 

 

Shuffling on

On November 18th a group of 9 Shufflers visited Kew Gardens for a walk organised by Kew's Community Access Scheme. We spent a pleasant hour wandering around the gardens and admiring the autumn colours, and then afterwards some of us repaired to the Maids of Honour Tea Rooms for refreshments. We all really enjoyed the walk and the opportunity to meet up with fellow Sheddies, so I'm sure it won't be long before another walk is organised! If you're not already on the Shufflers WhatsApp group and would like to be included, let us know so we can notify you of future events.