Being Mayor of Cheltenham is a never-ending voyage of discovery!

New Men in Sheds workshop
I was delighted to officially open the new Men in Sheds workshop at Central Way here in Cheltenham and learn about what they actually do. I say ‘shed’ – in reality it is a fabulously well-appointed warehouse unit where mainly retired men can enjoy the company of others and, at the same time, utilise their carpentry skills to support the local community including voluntary groups and schools.

Using recycled wood, often unwanted pallets, and a range of machinery and tools at their disposal, they build things like nest boxes, planters, decking and covered areas. It’s a great way of overcoming loneliness following retirement and making a difference at the same time. There are over 1,000 Men in Sheds groups across the UK. If you’re interested in getting involved locally, you can email Stuart at mackay2007@btinternet.com

Cheltenham Samaritans Charity Craft Beer Festival
It was a real pleasure to be invited to the Cheltenham Samaritans Charity Craft Beer Festival at Pip & Jims. No speeches required, just great conversation and some lovely craft ale to sample. A fabulous and popular event raising much-needed funds for this amazing charity, which sadly is as busy as ever with more and more calls from younger people.

Spire Restoration Business Breakfast
Amongst the many things Cheltenham is famous for are our wonderful buildings including 2,602 listed buildings. These can present a huge challenge for owners given the high cost of maintenance and the ever-increasing cost of energy. Imagine, then, managing St. Andrews Church in Montpellier, built in the 1880s, Grade 2 listed and now needing to rebuild its iconic spire, the tallest spire in our town.

I was delighted to attend their Spire Restoration Business breakfast where we heard from the architect about the challenges of dismantling two thirds of the spire and rebuilding it with locally sourced (Bath) limestone. The original limestone came from Leckhampton quarry! The total cost is around £450k and so far £350k has been raised from grants, their own funds and fund raising.

If you would like to help, you can adopt a stone for £250 and some stone which cannot be reused is available to enhance your rockery. You could also become a Spire Sponsor for around £2,000. For more information about either option, please email standrews.spire@urcnorthcotswolds.org.uk. It was a very interesting event and emphasises why as a planning authority we must adopt a more pragmatic approach to maintaining and heating these fabulous iconic buildings which, I am glad to say, I think we are.

The Retrofit Show
The Retrofit Show presented a great opportunity to learn all about the options available to retrofit your home to make it more energy efficient with lower running costs. There was plenty of good advice on offer from the variety of exhibitor stands and informed talks: thanks go to Cheltenham Borough Council, From the Ground Up and Future Fit Homes for organising the event which was very well attended.

Paul