Featured

Starting the works

Its a lovely sunny day in Kingston but the peace of the village was shattered by the sound of work coming from the Reading Room as Phil and his team of volunteers (thank you to everyone who came along and helped) started the process of improving the Reading Room. Socks from the pub was on hand to help out by hoovering up any bits of the delicious flapjacks that Vanessa had made up to keep our energy up! And Joan was flawless as our coffee and tea maker. Kitchen cupboards were emptied and the units taken off the walls. Who knew that there was a fireplace in the kitchen area behind the units? And who is the artist of this lovely mural?

We are very grateful to everyone who has volunteered to help out.

Watch this space for further updates on the works.

Beach scene

Easter break

The Kitchen

Given the progress Phil and his team are making with the works at the Reading Room I think they deserve a nice Easter break. Oh it looks like Phil has started it already!

The volunteer workforce has been amazing – we can’t thank you enough for all your help and the hours that you have put in to get us this far. We knew Kingston was a special place and this project is highlighting how special everyone who lives in it is. But we still need your help.

– Next week – the part of the hall not affected by the works needs a good tidy up and clean. So if you have any spare time pop down from Tuesday onwards.

– week commencing 28th April we can start painting as the plaster will be dry. Don’t get too excited or creative it’s all going to be white! Because we are working in smallish spaces we need teams of three people at a time. So if you have some time let me know when and how much (kingstonrrsecretary@gmail.com) I’ll work out a schedule. We can’t do anything on 1st May because of the election.

The new kitchen has been ordered so once we have finished painting we can start the installation.

And what about the chairs I hear you ask … more soon!!!

New kitchen window
Storage space
Clean me!

Great News! We have been awarded Lottery Funding

Thank you to everyone who buys National Lottery tickets.

The Reading Room has been awarded £17,222 to fund the purchase of materials for reordering of the Stage end of the main hall.

The work starts on Monday 3rd March using local volunteers under the guidance of Phil Anderson – thank you Phil.

View of proposed stage end of the hall

UPDATE FROM THE OPEN FORUM – AND WHAT HAPPENS NEXT

Many thanks to the 26 people who attended our open forum. This was an opportunity to study the plans in some depth . There were three possibilities, and Phil had even mocked up one of the plans so viewers could walk round, get a feel of the proposed layout and tell us what they thought….. and they did!

Post it notes were provided for comments to be made, you took advantage of them, and every one has been considered and incorporated into the design where practicable. The good news is that there was complete agreement. Everyone voted for option one.

A further, less formal session, was held in the Dolphin on 17th Jan, when Phil , Jenny and Juliet were available so that anyone who was unable to attend the forum, but had further comments or ideas which they wished to be considered, could have their views taken into account.

So, full steam ahead!
If you are in a group that uses the RR, and has a representative on the RR committee they will have discussed the details with you. Those not represented have been contacted.

Here’s the plan.
Monday 3rd March work starts and will continue for approximately 15 weeks (although some space will be available as work progresses. Phil will keep us updated).

The PCC have kindly agreed that groups can use the church for the usual activities where practicable

Weekend of 22nd/23rd Feb
The grand downstairs clear out!
If you have anything stored downstairs please come along, claim your stuff and help us tidy This is so kitchen equipment etc can be moved into this space. Please let us know if you can’t be there but have equipment stored…we don’t want it to end up in the skip.

3rd March
The grand kitchen clear-out
Please can we have volunteers from the groups who use the kitchen to help us move their equipment downstairs Also if you have any space to store chairs that would be a great help. Please contact Juliet (kingstonrrsecretary@gmail.com)

Funding
We have applied for funding to cover the cost of the building materials etc, and new, light, stackable chairs BUT we’re going ahead whatever the result of the bids.

Thanks to all those who have come up with some great ideas for fundraising….and of course donations are always welcome. The Auction of Promises will be held a little later in the year when we know exactly what further finance we need

Volunteers
Many thanks to all you wonderful folk who have volunteered your skills and enthusiasm so far. The bids we have made assume that the main work will be carried out by our volunteers. We need labourers, but also people with technical skills; builders, electricians, plumbers, plasterers etc . Any time you can spare would be really helpful. Contact Phil who is our coordinator phil.a46@yahoo.com

THANK YOU
To everyone for your enthusiasm and support. Most of all, a huge thank you to Phil Anderson, superstar, who has done a huge amount of work, drawing up plans, working out costings, mocking up a kitchen and more. Phil…we are all hugely grateful!

Closed from 3rd March until June 2025

The Reading Room will be closed while the rebuilding inside the stage end is completed.

During this time some of the events that have been booked into the hall will take place in the church, for which we thank the Parochial Church Council of St James the Less.

Offers of help to carry out the work, which will be done by volunteers, should contact Phil Anderson who will be managing this project on behalf of the Reading Room Management Committee.

Kitchen layout consultation

Proposed kitchen layout

26 people came and looked at the plans and a mock-up of the proposed kitchen layout.

The options

Three options for the kitchen layout were shown with option 1 being the favourite. In fact the other options didn’t get one vote.

All votes were for option 1!

Possible kitchen layouts

Here are some possible layouts that Phil has drawn up using the existing cabinets and equipment. Please do let us have your comments.

Click on a plan to see it larger.

Kitchen option 1
Kitchen option 1 – view of window wall and cupboards
Plan of kitchen option 2
Kitchen option 2 – view of window wall and cupboards
Plan of kitchen option 3
Kitchen option 3 – view of window wall and cupboards

3rd and 4th January consultation. Creating better storage

The current plan

The proposal

A new, scaled-down plan project has been proposed which will allow for:

  • Better storage space for the anticipated purchase of 90 new chairs
  • More storage for the pantomime staging and other “stuff” which is regularly used in the Reading Room

Whilst we are undertaking these improvements we will also take the opportunity to freshen up the Reading Room.
To allow for this improved storage we are going to have to remodel the kitchen and the disabled toilet.
Plans for all these changes will be available at the meeting.
Phil Anderson has kindly undertaken all the work so far on this project, drawing up plans and costings for us and he will be available at the meeting to answer any questions you may have.

Funding

The funding for this project is being obtained from a number of sources:

  • The Reading Room will be funding some of this itself
  • We will be applying for a couple of small grants
  • We are organising an Auction of Promises – details of which will be available in the next newsletter. If you have anything you would like to donate to this, please don’t hesitate to contact Jenny Kinder or Juliet Manners who are organising this auction.

As a village we are incredibly generous when it comes to donating to Charities. If you have any funds, however large or small which you would like to consider donating towards the works at the Reading Room please contact our Treasurer, Alan Coleman-Smith. These donations can be made anonymously or can be recognised in the Reading Room by way of a small plaque or a board of thanks.

How can I help?

In addition, we will be looking for volunteers to help carry out the works. If you have any of the following skills that can be utilised and you are happy to volunteer, please contact Phil and he will add you to the team. He may have already been in touch with you!

  • Carpentry
  • Electrician
  • Plasterer
  • Floor layers
  • Decorators
  • plus any willing and able to push a broom, load a skip or just to give moral support to help us with this work. All would be welcome

Thank you.

We look forward to seeing you on Friday 3rd
or Saturday 4th January at 4-6 pm in the Reading Room.
Refreshments provided.

Contact details :
Building works & volunteering : Phil Anderson : phil.a46@yahoo.com
Donations : Alan Coleman- Smith : kingstonrrtreasurer@gmail.com
Auction of Promises : Jenny Kinder : jmkinder47@googlemail.com
Auction of Promises : Juliet Manners : kingstonrrsecretary@gmail.com