Installation of Water and AccessibleToilet at Church
The oak cupboard unit which houses the sink, draining board and shelves was completed in 2012 and looks fantastic! (Click on the photos to enlarge). This work completes Phase 1 of the Water Project, which has come in within budget. To keep costs low, we had budgeted to use local volunteers where possible and we would not have been able to afford to pay for the work without the help of our working parties during 2011.Thank you again to everyone who has helped – the cost of the project would have been significantly greater had we not undertaken this work ourselves. Enough monies are committed to at least start Phase 2 of the Project which involves changes to the boiler house that will ultimately allow us to build a toilet.
The Project Plan
The project has been planned in phases;
1) Installation of mains water into church and the provision of tea and coffee making facility – completed.
2) Changes to the boiler house, replace existing oil tank with a new double bunded tank
3) Build a small extension to the front of the boiler house to create housing for the lawn tractor
4. Install an accessible toilet (chemical) cubicle, complete with wash hand basin, inside the church (in the disused south porch)
Detail of work required for each phase of the plan.
The aim has been to run mains water from the supply outside the church gate, down the wide path and in through the West door to a facility housed underneath the stairs leading to the ringing tower. The facility would contain equipment to prepare hot drinks and storage space for crockery, tea & coffee, together with the hearing loop equipment.The whole installation would be housed behind oak doors and would only be open when in use. This would vastly improve the area in the tower as the old existing cupboards would be removed. – completed
1) Mains water into Church
a) Dig a trench, 3 feet deep, from the mains supply outside the entrance gates to the tower. The route would be down the wide path to the West door, turning left into the tower area – completed
b) Lay a plastic water pipe in the trench and connect to the mains supply .Fit water meter outside the church gates – completed
c) Lay mains water supply into boiler house from the tower area using the existing trench – completed
d) Engage archaeologist to observe during the excavation of the water trench – completed
e) Agree the position of drink facility, design internal layout and obtain quotes for the doors which close off the facility – completed
f) Design changes to the electrical system to match the new facilities – completed
g) Install drink facility layout, either by contracting out or installing with our own team – completed
h) Install a soak away to take the washing up water out of church – completed
The existing boiler house is in two sections, one houses the boiler and the other the oil tank. The sections are separated by a concrete block internal wall. A double bunded oil tank will replace the old metal tank and, after more fundraising, the boiler will be replaced with a more efficient external model.
A small, secure, ‘lean to’ extension will be built to the front of the existing building to house the lawn tractor.
2) Changes to the boiler house.
a) Remove the existing asbestos roof and remove the existing steel oil tank. Replace with double bunded oil tank.
b) Replace roof with sheet metal roof retaining the existing façade
c) Fit new doors and windows into the boiler house.
d) Create lean to extension for lawn tractor
e) Install new external boiler (in the future)
3) Toilet facility
Following discussions with the Diocesan Advisory Committee, it is proposed to make use of the disused south porch and install an accessible toilet cubicle.