Quaker News Archive: July 2008

Posted: 21st July 2008

Update on Jordans Meeting House

Building work

Since our last report in June, the internal work – plastering, decoration, flooring finishes, kitchen and lavatory and bathroom fittings, lighting and electric power – in the new extension has been largely completed. The new lift has been installed. External work is under way – paintwork, the new footpath round the extension, laying out and resurfacing the car park, building the realigned boundary wall and installing new gates. This should be finished within the next week or so. Then will follow the commissioning of the various systems, the "snagging", and finally clearing the site of builders' huts and equipment, and making good the lawns and flowerbeds, ready for our re-occupation of the premises. The movable benches which were in store have been cleaned and returned to the old Meeting House, and the other furniture will be shortly. We have ordered new furniture and equipment for the various areas for delivery over the coming weeks.

Timetable

We had expected the building to be handed over to us in the week beginning 21 July, but the timetable is at risk because of the failure of the water and gas utilities to install new meters and reconnect supplies on the timetable originally notified. We hope that water will be reconnected in the week of 21 July or the following week. Gas is more troublesome. The British Gas contractors belatedly discovered that the old gas pipe running under the road from their mains to our road boundary does not marry with the new pipe that they required us to install underground from the road boundary to the new extension. Welders Lane will therefore have to be temporarily closed and dug up to lay a new connecting pipe, and this may take some time. Meanwhile we have contingency plans for temporary hot and cold running water supplies and portaloos to enable us to use the building for some events from the end of July, even though the formal certificate of completion and handover will have wait until everything is in place.

That said, we are planning for a visit by the local MP, Cheryl Gillan, on 25 July and a reception to thank those who have helped with various stages of the project. On 27 July we hope to resume meetings for worship in the Meeting House, and to host a civic service in the afternoon for the newly-elected Mayor of Beaconsfield, our Friend Henry Wilson. Further events for donors, for Area Meeting Friends, for Jordans village, and for Heritage Day are planned from the end of August onwards. The New Jordans Programme will start in September.

Jordans Meeting House Project Steering Group and Appeal Committee
July 2008

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