RENEWING THE LODGE 2025

Since selling the Parsonage last year the Trustees have decided to move forward on a programme of Refurbishment and Renewal of the Lodge, Grounds and Church.

It is over twenty years since we carried out such a programme, and now we have funds available from the sale of the Parsonage, we can move forward with confidence and not depend upon being funded by Lodge Revenue or Grant Aid.

A first visble sign of this is the replacement of the rotten wooden church gates, using a recycled plastic milk bottles material, similar to the existing picnic tables and memorial bench. These gates were produced by MARMAX of County Durham with a wooden finish and coloured brown, as an exact replica of the old gates, and completed on site by our Maintenace Co-ordinator Stuart Mitchell and Team, by the fitting the original iron hinges, latch and stop from the old gates.

We are shortly to commence replacement of rotting external doors on the out buildings,repair of the Church Door, investigation of sagging floor areas in the Lodge, conversion of the drying room to a garage/store for a sit on lawnmower, and renewal of damaged roof tiles on the Lodge and Church.

Additionally we will be undertaking a programme of repainting the Lodge both internall and externally.

Replacement beds and mattresses are also being bought as required, together with replacment Kitchen equipment and new microwave oven.

In the Grounds, the Pergola has been repaired and new seating and planters put in place. The remains of the felled trees from 2024 have been cut up by one of our Trustees and moved to allow access to the septic tank, and facilitate the use of our new mower!