Here's a new batch of photos, showing progress to 31st May. The letter below was written in March. Since then the building has progressed well and we've received some very generous donations. (Thank you - you know who you are!) As a result our situation is much better - see the amendments in green below. But contributions to help pay for this project are still gratefully received.

Building for Othona's future: an Open Letter

It's been a long time coming, but at last the replacement dwelling for Tony our warden is taking shape. Gone are the days when he lived in cramped, damp, dilapidated quarters. As members of the Building Committee managing this project we know we're not alone in being really excited at its fulfilment. The first photo was taken on 22nd March as the roofers were slating the north-facing slope. The two below bring us right up to 15th April.

We're pleased to say the house has good green credentials:

• The slates and stone walls are all re-used materials
• Rainwater will be harvested to supply the toilets etc.
  
• Insulation standards are very high and space heating is partly by logburner
• Water heating is by solar panel
• We plan to generate electricity by either photovoltaics or a small wind turbine

The builders will finish at the end of June, leaving Othona effort to decorate and otherwise complete the house ready for occupation in the autumn. It's quite a size - enough for future wardens with families. So there will be scope for Tony, being single, to share it with others.

Many generous Othona friends have given and lent money to make all this possible. We are truly grateful. Our trustees have made up the shortfall - but only by running Othona's reserves right to the edge of the minimum that the charity commission requires. They can't contribute more.

(This project has had to cope with very costly extras right from the beginning, as planners imposed changes and delays to benefit our orchids and dormice! More recently record amounts of rain got us involved in emergency engineering.) The crunch is that as our funds stand today some of the finishing touches may not be affordable and we'll still have debts to other parts of the community's budget.

We appreciate all the interest people have shown in this project. Are you perhaps one of those who've been supportive in principle, but waiting to see if it actually happens? That's understandable. Well, as you can see, it's all happening now!

We spelt out some of the actual costs to help you visualise. Most of these items are now covered - though not yet installed - but they still illustrate the sort of expense you'd be helping with. So would you like to help bring this project to fruition? In practical terms :

• £25 buys half a kitchen worktop
  
• £200 buys basin, toilet, taps and pipework
  
• £1,000 buys half the materials needed to repair and resurface the car park
  

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