We were delighted that our second volunteer day on 12th July was as well attended as the first with some 30 people giving up their time. Together they sanded, unscrewed, unblocked, filled in and deconstructed all around the building, laying the way open to applying some new paint  inside and out to make the place look much fresher.

Thanks go to Matt Barr, Robin Dussek, Kathy Roper and Claudia for clearing the car park drains (up to the arm pit if you get my drift!). We just now need some rain to see if this work stops the car park flooding.

Thanks also to Jo Willis and Jeff Laidler for removing the covid screens from the reception desk. You may have seen on Facebook the squeals of delight from Claudia as the screen came away! Jeff then turned his attention to trying to open the letter box. Externally it was hampered by the security grille but also as Jeff found, it’s actually glued shut! It will have to be cut away and a new one installed.

Dom Hampton from our trusted partner Attend2IT, was able to get the CCTV system reconfigured to work much better and Rod Tanner made short work of sanding 11 internal doors.

Jo Hart was given the task of cleaning out the old solarium/office and was most grateful when young Dan came to join her. Being taller and stronger than Jo, under her instruction the room was cleared in no time. We would ultimately like to change this space into an accessible changing room. Contractors are coming next week to quote and then we will find out just how much we need to raise in order to complete this project. It’s very unlikely that this will happen before we reopen, but the old ‘accessible’ changing room is still available to use with a non leaky, working toilet thanks to Wizard Robin.

The Maylon Family filled the rest of the water main trench with sand making it safer and then went up on the roof to remove the moss and debris, giving it a good sweep. They did a sterling effort on such a hot day.

Jo H and her growing team of teenaged boys next turned their attention to the male staff changing room. An underused space with a big window overlooking the pool side. This provides an opportunity to knock through into the reception area and increase spectator viewing. The team had the walls striped bare in no time.

Wizard Robin, having spied an old bench coming out of the male staff changing room recognised that the bracket underneath it would provide the perfect solution to fix an internal guttering pipe that had become loose and was leaking in the male changing room.

Jon Brears, assisted by Ted Waller got the spanners out and removed the old showers. The tiled walls now just need the limescale to be removed and a couple of tiles replaced so we can then install the new ones.

Our youngest volunteer of the day was Erin Laidlaw who did a great job thoroughly cleaning a table fan, some waste bins and was more than happy climbing a ladder to clean the CCTV cameras. Well done Erin!

Special mention must always go to the great bakers and sandwich makers who again kept everyone fed and watered during the day too. No one went home hungry I can assure you.

By the way, Ted returned in the week following the volunteer day and assisted in giving the shiplap panels above all the windows a coat of paint (which he generously donated.) We’re just awaiting a few lengths of that style of wood to repair the unsightly gap to be seen on the roof level.

Whilst he was doing that, the professional team from JCS went up the tower, supplied by Webb Scaffolding, to install the new flue liner, passing it down the old chimney. Another step closer to when the boilers can be fired up!