Off-grid Eco-friendly Woodland Classroom

Since the timber arrived from the sawmill (see previous report!), work has been steadily progressing on the eco-friendly woodland classroom, thanks to our amazing builder, Ben, and the help of our volunteers. 

Joists and beams have been used to create the subfloor and studwork. They will support the timber flooring and timber-clad walls. The floor is suspended timber so the use of concrete and other non-natural materials has been minimised.

Within the next few weeks the floorboards, cut from the larch and cedar logs as part of the 2021 milling process which created the main timbers for the frame and which have been seasoning for 12 months and now dry enough to be used, will start to go down. 

Once the floorboards and walls are in place, the windows - currently being made by a local carpenter - can be installed and the guttering and roof trimming finally completed. This will then allow us to finally connect to the underground pipework, installed by volunteers last December, that will take the roof's rainwater run-off to the ponds. We are already able to see the cabin taking shape and, with all fingers and toes crossed, it should be weathertight by December!

Thereafter, work will continue with the woodburner being moved over from the portacabin and a solar array being installed. By our next report - although not completed - we expect to be in and out of winter cold and rain.

Below are a few photos from the previous couple of months. We hope you enjoy seeing them as it is thanks to  your help that we have gotten this far. We are so grateful for the support from donors such as you, and for the hard work and time given by our volunteers.

The cost of materials continues to rise and our fundraising efforts must therefore continue. We thank you truly for your ongoing support in this.

Links:

• Our website