St Peter’s Cottages - April 2009

Glebe Cottages Refurbishment News  

The ‘Kottages Kitchen Kommittee’ (KKK)

Following the signing off of the Plans for the Revitalization of the Cottages and the start of The Planning Application, the KKK has met with a possible Kitchen Designer.   The PKD was very helpful and quickly grasped the fact that we do not have a lot of money.  After much debate – well some anyway – KKK tasked him with designing a K with the following vote-winning attributes:

• A wash hand basin
• A 1 and ½ stainless steel sink
• A stand-alone, under-counter refrigerator (no freezer comp).
• Power points galore
• Cupboards above work surfaces; drawers where possible below.   Tops of cupboards to ceiling to be boxed in and space between work surfaces and cupboards to be “easy wipe clean”
• Doors to be shaker style with GL Handles
• Floor to be soft cushion vinyl
• A stand-alone large electric oven, with integral ceramic hob.
• Built in space for ‘Multi Do Dah’ Microwave
• Provision for commercial dishwasher – we may not be able to afford this initially but have ruled out a domestic DW.
• Hot water – depends on whether we can afford central heating.

Once we have his initial plans we will talk to users and seek comment.  Affordability will be a key issue.  So who are the KKK?  An honourable team of  sophisticates, led by ‘He Who Cannot Be Named’ supported by ‘Ladies Wot Know’.

Iain Hime

Fund-Raising

A Thank You

I hope that my individual letter of thanks has reached everyone who so generously contributed to the initial funding of the Cottages project, whether by a single, up-front donation or by a commitment spread over a period.  I would also like to take this chance to thank anyone to whom I have not managed to send a letter, which will include those people who have contributed anonymously.

We were all asked last year for indicative commitments to assure the PCC that there would be sufficient funding to start the project and I am pleased to report that firm commitments, despite current financial stresses, have exceeded those indicated.  This came about both through an increase in the number of donors and also, in some cases, an increase in the amount given by an individual donor.

We still need as much money as we can raise, so please keep up the momentum and encourage your family, friends, casual acquaintances and enemies to give to the cause and support our fundraising events. 

Forthcoming Events  

Sunday April 5^th Cakes, Preserves and Handbag Sale in the Cottages after church. Don’t miss this opportunity to buy some edible treats for yourselves and others and to acquire some “must have” accessories.  Proceeds to the Cottages Fund.

Sunday May 10^th Plant Sale, weather permitting, in the garden at the Cottages after church.  This is an opportunity for all you green fingered gardeners to get rid of your cuttings and surplus seedlings etc.  Please bring them – priced – to the Cottages and they will be sold in aid of the Cottages Fund.

Saturday 14^th November 2009, Craft Fair at Leckhampton School.

Further details nearer the time.  

Changed Change for Change at the Cottages!

 Just a slight change really, so please go on putting loose change (or the odd £20 note) into your cottage-shaped moneybox.  When you are ready – and there’s no need to wait until the box is full – please count the amount into a small bag and give it to Thelma Martin, who is a choir member, or to a churchwarden or the treasurer if you can’t find her.  Don’t forget to put your name, the box number and a note of the amount in the bag, using a completed Gift Aid envelope from the end of your pew if you are a taxpayer.  By giving Thelma the bag you will have the joy of keeping the box and filling it again and again and again … 

If you haven’t yet managed to pick up a box, it’s because their popularity had made them scarce, but some more have now been made and are available at the back of the church.  Please put your name beside one of the numbers on the list and take the box which has that number on the bottom.

Andrew Piggott  

‘The groaning trencher there ye fill …’ (Burns)

On Saturday 7^th February the Webber household sat down to share a three course evening meal for six.  Nothing unusual about that, except that this one was purchased at the Auction of Promises.  Richard and Joey Kerr-Wilson had offered to cook and serve a meal for six, Scottish style.  We started with generous portions of smoked salmon, and this was followed by venison steaks, venison sausage and a selection of roast vegetables.  None of us had eaten venison before, (though I did sample reindeer once at the Arctic Circle), but we are game for anything so we gave it a try and enjoyed it!  For pudding we had an intoxicating concoction of raspberries, cream, oatmeal and whisky. The meal was rounded off with oatmeal biscuits and Scottish cheeses, with Richard pouring out generous glasses of Drambuie.  Our thanks go to Richard and Joey for such a lovely evening.

Apart from the obvious benefit of raising money for the Cottages improvements, the whole project has brought people together in different ways.  Earlier in the year I valeted Richard’s car, next month Iain and Suzy Hime are going to host a meal for us at their house, and later in the year Forbes Hadden is taking our sons-in-law for a round of golf.  It would be interesting to hear of other people’s ‘Auction of Promises’ experiences.

David Webber  

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