Eastbourne and District Veterans CIC contiue to support Chaseley Trust and following our initial help with the flagpole, we have embarked on some much needed maintenance of the forgotten grounds.
After talking to the management, on the priorities to enhance the lives of residents, we sprang into action. We pruned, cut, chopped, and sawed much of the overgrown bushes around the lawn area used by residents.
The next overgrown area to be tackled was the outside of the café room, where overgrown thorn bushes were causing a problem puncturing residents wheelchair tyres. This was quickly cut down, making the path safe again – and with only a few cuts and other minor injuries sustained by our hardy volunteers!
During this first phase we discovered that there was an issue with penetrating damp coming through the brickwork and into the storeroom, making it unusable. So we injected a damp proof course and Clear Breathable Water Repellent Cream into the brickwork. This has resulted in a dry storeroom that has now been redecorated by the maintenance team.
The final phase for the café is to build a decked area which will act as an external stage and enable the residents to enjoy entertainment.
Next, we discovered that the space above the pond contained a waterfall, and a seated area backed by a stone wall, which had been hidden for many years due to the substantial overgrowth of the trees and bushes. This has now been 90% cleared! with the help of Danny, one of our own, complete in drysuit, entering the pond and clearing brambles and weeds from the stone wall.
With some repairs to the waterfall, including a fibreglass-based repair system, it is hoped that it will be back in action for the residents to enjoy very soon.
A sycamore stump (picture below) is awaiting a chainsaw sculptor to turn it into a feature.
Further clearance behind the sensory garden has been carried out to clear bindweed and virginia creeper, which has reavealed a beautiful, clear view of the sea for residents to enjoy.
Future Work
- Constructing a wall using railway sleepers. Chaseley will be holding a ‘sponsor a sleeper space event’ where your name can be added to a sleeper.
- A new timber roof will be fabricated for the the pond pump house.
- Refurbishment of the unused garages to the rear.
- Repairs to the external area of the gym.
- The original front doors to be refurbished.
There is still much to be done to assist this wonderful place, and this is just a few of the upcoming projects we aim to undertake at Chaseley. It’s always a pleasure, especially with the residents always meeting us with a smile, and the staff providing a regular supply of tea and biscuits.
If you have a skill and would like to help, please do get in touch and join our crew of volunteers!
