As another summer without the promise of open fields, warm fires and getting up early for clan beckons, SDC are super excited to be able to bring you the silver lining to accompany this Covid cloud.
We’ve been working away behind the scenes to bring you not one but three reasons to be cheerful:
1. We’ve got planning permission!
Cambridge County Council have granted us planning permission for ‘The Big Roof’ which will replace the current Long Barn, Hut 42 and Hut 6, standing across the footprint of the patio, Long Barn and 42. This is excellent news, particularly as these buildings have both been officially condemned and are no longer safe or suitable to work in or even continue to use as storage. Thankfully, the tireless efforts of Twm, Becca and the team of Stores heroes mean that we now have 8 temporary storage units onsite and are well into the process of clearing out the unusable buildings (“Even with everything that’s going on with Covid?” I hear you ask. Well, yes, they are absolute superstars. Woodcraft whistles all round I’d say).
2. A fabulous new fundraising committee!
Understandably, the Big Roof means Big Money. Around £1.4 million to be precise. Between money already spent, reserves already allocated, and a big and generous donation already pledged, there is a total of around £600k to be raised through applying for funding, to grant making foundations and good old fashioned fundraising. Realistically, we’re looking for the lodge to help find c£158k. These numbers could sound big and perhaps a little overwhelming, but Haddenham cannot function without redevelopment, and camps cannot run without Haddenham.
Another group of wonderous and excellent humans working to make all of this lovely newness happen is the Fundraising Committee. More info on their strategy will be forthcoming, but whether you can do a sponsored campout in your garden or happen to have a conveniently eccentric billionaire living next door, FSC needs you!
3. Moving on up to RIBA Stage 4
On 7th March a Council EGM officially approved the move to RIBA Stage 4. This means that our amazing architects Mole/Invisible studios are beginning to put together the full technical drawings for building the Big Roof. Watch this space for some snazzy, detailed drawings of the future Stores buildings. Current site plan proposals can be seen here
What comes next?
For us as a lodge, this means more consultations about everything from sustainability to how best to use the space under the Big Roof. More on this exciting, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to shape the home of FSC coming soon! Stage 4 is expected to take until early Autumn and includes putting contracts out to tender, though it doesn’t commit us to awarding contracts or starting the build just yet…
Keen to get involved?
Consultation week is coming to a Zoom near you from 5th to 12th May. There will be sessions to suit (hopefully) all comers – evenings, daytimes, weekends. Full info and links to follow soon. There will be an SDC update at Council on Saturday 24th April if you’d like to hear more about how things are developing.
We hope you’re as excited as we are about the prospect of our stores at Haddenham rising, like a phoenix, from its flame-retardant asbestos ashes and being reborn as a place which is not only fit-for-purpose but somewhere we are proud to call the heart and home of the organisation we cherish.
We’ll be keeping you updated through the process and inviting you to consultations and work weekends as we progress through Stage 4 and beyond…