Essential Work Begins

Since receiving the keys to Bellfield in September Action Porty and a host of local volunteers have been busy beginning the process of getting the buildings open again.Our part-time Development Managers Emma Griffiths and Angela Thomas have been hard at work creating a costed and sequenced plan for the essential safety and repair work which needs to be done before the buildings can once again be used by the community.New fire alarms, improved fire escape routes, asbestos identification and specialist high level repairs to the clock tower are all crucial steps which will allow the building to be used safely and legally. We’re also looking at how best to upgrade the kitchen and catering facilities. Meanwhile, the state of the grounds has been much improved by the great contribution of volunteers helping us clear the gardens.There’s a lot to do, and it’s a great feeling to be getting started, nevertheless the scale of the work required means our original aim of re-opening Bellfield in January 2018 has been pushed back to June. We’d like to thank all our donors and supporters for their patience - it’ll be worth the wait!Bellfield opened its doors briefly on the weekend of 10-11 November to mark Remembrance Sunday. The memorials to local service people killed in both world wars have traditionally been a focus at this time of year and it was a pleasure to be able to open the doors for this occasion.