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Background to the new building
After considering all available options for accommodating the New Forest Basics Bank it was decided to pursue construction of a purpose built building adjacent to the Lymington United Reformed Church/Community Hall and Open Door Project. Planning consent for the new building was granted on 13th November 2008. Full approval for the building plans was given on 20th May 2009 by the New Forest District Council Building Control (NFDC), subject to a number of conditions which added to the cost and the time required to complete the building.
The Building
The building is a wooden framed construction standing on a reinforced concrete base. It provides approx. 40 square metres of floor area in an open plan room with double doors for easy access. The floor, walls and ceiling are all insulated to the standards required by national building regulations for habitable rooms. The external finish is in "hardiplank" cladding, and internally it is finished with plasterboard and skim plaster. The building has three double glazed windows and is fitted with electrical heaters. The volunteers, clients and agencies using Basics Bank will have access to the kitchen and toilets (includes disabled facilities and additional easy access features) in the adjacent Church/Community hall (plus they will have the extra support as part of the Open Door Project!). Therefore, the new building does not require any plumbing or drains, this also kept the cost down.
The Building Project
The design and construction phases of the project were subject to competitive tendering and New Forest Timber Solutions Ltd (NFTS Ltd) was selected. A separate contractor, VC Dominey, was used to install the smoke alarm system since the NFDC Building Control required that it had to be linked to the system in the Church/Community hall. A local decorator was used to paint the building internally to save money, and the worktops were also procured separately for the same reason. We have supported local tradesmen and company's for this project. The construction stage has gone broadly to plan and the building has now been completed. It was accepted off contract by Lymington URC and handed over to the New Forest Basics Bank on the morning of the 17th August 2009.
And the progress?
Basics Bank was moved on the afternoon of the 17th August 2009 when full the full NFDC Building certificate was given. The first emeregency food parcel was collected at 11am on the 18th August 2008 - great isn't it!
Since moving in to the new building on the 17/08/09 and by the end of the Basics Bank year on the 31/08/09 they had;
· Distributed 15 food parcels.
· Helped 40 clients, this includes 12 males, 12 females, 21 children (0-15 years).
· Processed 15 referrals from their approved agency network.
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