The Young Ones

or at least that's what it sounded like Steve was singing. Steve, Pat, Paul and Erik worked Friday - mostly tidying up and taking the boards off number 85 (the former rubbish store) and putting the windows back in. Erik got on with sanding down and painting the bathroom in number 97. 95 is basically done (and very chi-chi it looks too) - Colin showed it to our first prespective tenant yesterday. There's a lot of interest in the garden flats - but sadly only two of the groundfloor flats have gardens and they won't be available for a long time yet.

Not much can be done about the patio doors - this will require an outside contractor because the hinges weren't there in the flats - so this is still boarded up. By the end of the day 85 did look much better.

Looking forward to seeing you Saturday.

Open Saturday 8th October

The refurb is open for volunteers Saturday 8th October but at least you won't have to move this stuff - it's gone already, the skip came Monday. Hope to see you all there. Paul.

City Too Hot!

Every time Phoenix does a refurb project it seems to cause (by sods law) an unseasonable heatwave. Today Pat and Steve worked (Paul called in for 2 hours between jobs because he was working locally).

95 is nearly completely decorated and once the boiler is commisssioned will be all ready to go - 97 is still being decorated and will require work getting the gas into the flat and a meter putting in. 93 and 99 are lagging slightly - it would be really good if we could find a member with some plumbing skills for the next saturday (or a day in the week say). The College of NorthWest London trainees have continued to come in (Moussa was in Wednesday) but Phoenix members visiting in the week have been few and far between - this is a shame because the kind of work we are doing now - decorating - is the kind that many volunteers feel comfortable doing. If you have these skills please phone Maihan and Come On Down.

That's more like it...

Ladies and Gentlemen I am proud to declare the Saturday Opening (this Saturday -the 24th - this morning) a success. Steve and Eight Phoenix members (Paul, Ray, Steve - another one, Ofa, Ninad, Mike - another one, Amit and Mark White) came and painted and sanded and stripped wallpaper and attempted a little light carpentry and even helped bring down the plasterboard cupboard in 87. A further two members got as far as the shops on the estate and then got lost - it is tricky to find, bring a map. Ken Kamara came down and took photos (and even shot some film of the Phoenix massive grafting away), we hope to post some of these soon.

'It does make a difference.' Muttered (a somewhat abashed) Steve.

If you fancy some more we're here Monday to Fridays and every second Saturday - Come On Down.

Saturday Opening

We are trying another Saturday Opening this saturday the 24th. We will be open from 9.30 til 1.30 - come on Down.

Pat and Brahim have been ill with the flu that is going around, Chaban has found other work, Andreas was busy but Edward, Moussa, Paul and Eric came in to do their days. Steve is clear that he needs more help to get the mid-floor flats painted up if we are to keep to schedule.

On Site things are looking good and even ahead of schedule with 95 nearly finished being decorated and 97 soon to be finished. Two of the flats on the middle floor have gas already and so should be ready for letting soon - the others won't be lettable until the gas is finally installed (this involves the national grid drilling through the walls and then fitting a meter in each).

Today, on the principle of a change is as good as a rest and a little fed up with painting, Steve and Paul opened up 89 (on the ground floor) and put in the windows (leaving the garden door which will require a new locking mechanism and hinges). They also took down the large cupboard in 89 (perhaps something they can repeat in 87 on the Saturday) - this is a little ahead of schedule (but that's not a problem really).

We Need A Radio

There is no radio on-site so the only music people get to hear is the tune that slips its way past our internal censor and ends up getting sung. 'Don't stop the carnival' was the most up-to-date song Steve has sung yet. Stevie (the plumbing contractor - who has been in finishing off the central heating installation to 93 and 99) was caught doing some human beatboxing (Snap's 'I've got the power'). Like I said, we need a radio.

Thursday British Gas achieve what EDF had repeatedly failed to do and get the power on in two flats on the middle floor. Was this a difficult task? No - they just had to inspect the installation, approve it and fit the main fuses. Now the only problem remains the gas supply - while the building was scheduled for demolition new gas piping was fitted on the outside of the building but in 3 of the flats on the middle floor the piping was never brought inside the property and no new gas meters were fitted. This means we will have to pay National Grid to drill through the walls in 3 properties - the waiting time for this is about 6 weeks.

On the plus side (for me) we are into the tiling phase, Pat has been busy fitting the kitchens in 97 and 95 after Steve and a number of the trainees (Edward in the hoto above) fitted the sinks in them. These look like being the first flats we will be completing. David Sanchez has been in a lot (helping to install the bath in 97). Darryl and Steve are getting on with the decorating in them.

Getting Better

The Second Saturday Open Day at the Refurb and Pennie, Mike, Marike, Paul and Steve and his wife came down. There was some painting, some tiling and some plumbing in of the bath in 95 and the sink in 97. We are now pining our hopes on British Gas to get the electricity on in 99, 97 and 95.

We are open again on Monday - the next Saturday Open Day is in 2 weeks time.