Like a mighty tortoise

Where have we got to on our Building Plans? A significant step (one small step for tortoisekind) because we have now agreed on a Contractor. We are not announcing the name just yet, because we are waiting to see if their sums come out the same as ours which pretty well agreed with those of our surveyors. But what we expect is that we shall start on Phase I of the building after dividing it into five or six Steps so that we don't take on more than we can pay for. The contractors seem happy with this, and are just costing the Steps.

Step A will be the building or construction work, that means we have the whole of the new block built, covered in and made weathertight, and the building modifications to the old school building completed. Then the Crane (or Stork) can be taken off site. That should be done, we trust, by late spring (the Crane may fly away before Easter).

By then of course more money will have come bubbling in, as people see that at last, at long last, builders are actually and truly on site. Which should mean that we can tell them to get on with Steps B, C, D and so on without a break.

It has certainly taken a long time, and now, of course nothing will happen until January. But we are getting there...



And the fund-raising? Oh, we didn't tell you? Pledges and Donations have now gone significantly over the Two Million mark. No, we mean two million POUNDS - what that will be in Marks we don't yet know. But it's a lot more than two million Euros.

Not that there's all that much in the bank, as we've explained before. So if you are feeling enthusiastic donations can still be made, either by cheque, used notes, or through JustGiving or the American Fund. But perhaps, we hope you won't be offended, if we say not in Euros, please.

Merry Christmas!