Thursday 29th November

Most of what we have been doing in the building this week is top secret Santa stuff.  But the thing we can show you today is that our staff kitchen now has lovely cupboards.  And the pipes are getting boxed in in the staff loo.   But you probably don,t need to see those pics  LOL

We really do hope you manage to pop down and visit us on Saturday evening so that we can show off our handiwork and celebrate with the whole town what we have achieved here over the past three months.  It is a miracle.

Thursday 22nd Nov

Fire alarms and smoke detectors - not the most glamorous or exciting of installations - and certainly the noisiest by FAR - but necessary and therefore we grin and bear it through the interminable drilling and look forward to being safe from even a whiff of smoke or a birthday cake candle flame!!  We also now have emergency lighting and exit signs.  And the conference room has new lights too! 

                                                           

Our other work this week is highly top secret and cannot be revealed just now.  Suffice it to say that the elves are very busy preparing for our Christmas Fair on 1st Dec!!

Monday 19th November

So exciting!  Work has started on the shop !
On Friday the electricians finished making the electrics in the downstairs of Wellington House all safe and good to go.  So on Saturday Donna was in with the wallpaper stripper and today Harrison and Karl are hard at work prepping the ancient walls ready for a coat of paint.  We are going for the 'industrial chic' look in the shop so watch this space as it unfurls before our eyes as a work of modern stylishness  :) 

Meanwhile, Marianne and her hubby and friends were in clearing the garden area - I know it doesnt look like much of an improvement but at least now we can see what we are up against!! 

And you know how we are always telling you that we believe in miracles??   Well, in ten days time this space is going to be Santas Grotto!   The elves have got their work cut out so if anyone has a spare hour or two they could offer to help out they would be most welcome.   And if anyone has spare Christmas lights ( indoor or outdoor) they could donate to us....... or a very large Christmas tree for the garden...... or anything else that you think would make our grotto more magical for the families of Dromore to visit, then please do let us know.

Friday 16th November

Today wellington House is buzzing.  Literally!  The electricians are drilling, the window man is out on the flat roof trimming new windows and meanwhile our trusty shop volunteers are having lunch together to keep the team spirits up whilst the shop and cafe are closed.

In the meantime we are unable to use these internal doors - so if anyone would like to buy them from us....?   They should come out easily with their frames intact.   Make us an offer  ( but make it a kind one as we are pouring our pennies into this build like crazy!! )

Thursday 15th November - windows!

Yay!  The new windows are going in.   The new fire door is very smart and will keep us safe in emergencies - not that we are going to have any emergencies!

Gail and Donnas office and the shop have also got new windows and the electricians have worked wonders and after a couple of days of drilling and banging we now have power downstairs in Wellington House.

All of this is costing a lot of money but we are trying to be super wise with every penny.   If you have any you dont need at the moment......   :)
                                             https://www.justgiving.com/viawings

Monday 12th November

Whoop whoop!   The electricians have made a start on sorting out the shop electrics.  And the new windows have arrived!!

Friday 2nd November - Charlie Dimmock where are you?

We have a lovely garden at Wellington House.   The only trouble is that it is under twelve feet of undergrowth!! 
Last weekend Warren and Sam made a good start at chopping back the jungle but as you can see there is a way to go before we end up with a beautiful child friendly ( possibly sensory?) garden.

Do any of you lovely readers have gardening skills you could help us with?  I know it is hardly the right time of year, but even to have some ideas about what we could do with this space and how it could be planted and landscaped to best advantage would be wonderful.  😊

Thursday 1st November

On Monday our whole staff team  ( minus Caroline who wasnt very well) went out on a fact finding mission to the Causeway coast to visit a big project which is similar to ours.  We saw round a massive food store project,  clothing giveaway and log chopping social enterprise.  It was really interesting to see how it all worked and to learn from people who have been doing what we are doing for longer than we have.

We came back to a week of full on clearing out of the Market Street premises.  The shop is running down its stock and will close on Friday.  Upstairs the equipment has now all gone from the cafe and we are scrubbing and cleaning ready to hand the whole place back to the owners.

We have a Hotpoint oven for sale.  In great condition.  Open to offers.

Friday 26th October

First proper day in our new offices and despite not quite having the phone or internet connection up and running we are all managing to get ourselves sorted and get through the backlog of paperwork which has been mounting up over the past ten days.   SO MUCH SPACE!!!   Happy days :)