During May and June you will have seen the Reading Room encased in scaffolding and plastic sheeting. The reason for this was the deterioration of the roof, with the attendant risk of tile slippage and possible injury to persons, necessitating a complete re tiling of the roof, repairs to its substructure and re-plastering of ceiling areas affected by the above work. In all, the cost came to £42,000. With the Reading Room being a grade II listed building meant that many restrictions were imposed on the work to ensure that character of the building was maintained, adding to the cost of the project.

Raise the Roof - the Reading Room Roof Appeal

Regular updates on the progress of the appeal will be posted via this web site, the parish magazine and the village newsletter (not signed up to receive this – then go to the Chalfont St Giles village web site and subscribe to the free newsletter).

Sponsors and Contributors

2nd October - £27,300 to go! The response to the appeal has been excellent. As reported in the last update you managed to donate a total of £1,500 at the village show; which includes Gift Aid – which enables us to claw back an extra 25% from the government. Since then the amount donated has risen to a magnificent £3,700!

So a BIG thank you to everyone who has “purchased” a tile or persuaded others to do so.

This is really good news BUT we still have a long way to go. If you haven’t already “purchased” a tile or two or more, then please do so. The Reading Room is available to everyone, is used by nearly everyone and we want to keep that way, but to allow that to continue the re-roofing work has to be paid for.

Applications to various funding bodies are on their way, but the more you raise locally the more likely our applications will succeed. So please help. If you have already contributed persuade your friends, relations or colleagues to contribute.

You can “buy a tiles” by visiting All Dressed Up, Michael Henry, Village Hair or Yalden. or by downloading this donation form and sending your donation to Mr K Searle: Birkrigg, London Road, Chalfont St Giles, HP8 4ND.

Now to bargains you surely cannot afford to miss! Yalden’s have VERY generously donated seven quality garden benches to the “Buy a tile” campaign. These are brand new and still in the original manufacturers packaging. Details are below, including the normal sale price at Yalden’s which I am advised is less than at most outlets for benches of this quality. If you are interested in obtaining a garden bench at a bargain price, and at the same time therefore supporting the “buy a tile” campaign, then put your bid into me (at kevin@birkrigg.co.uk) identifying which bench, model and size, for which you are bidding. Each week on Saturday evening (starting 2 October) at 8pm I will review the bids and the highest bidder for each model and size (subject to meeting the reserve price) will be contacted to make arrangements for payment and delivery of their bench. This process will continue until all the benches are sold. This really is a win-win situation! You as the successful bidder will get a bargain and at the same time support the appeal, and the fund raising total will take another respectable jump upwards.

Henley Hardwood

4ft Yalden’s £149 (RRP £175)

5ft Yalden’s £175 (RRP £195)

4ft - 2 available to bid for

5ft - 3 available to bid for

Richmond Teak

4ft Yalden’s £269 (RRP £325) 5ft Yalden’s £299 (RRP £355)

4ft - 1 available to bid for

5ft - 1 available to bid for

And after your successful bid why not pop up to Yalden’s and buy some cushions, or covers for the winter months.   Tell your friends without Internet access - you can always place their bid by email on their behalf.