Since our last report, we have made slow progress on site.  Snow has prevented access both to Nenthead and the site. An expected delivery of wood on 13th February was cancelled because the roads around Alston were impassable in places. The wood eventually arrived on the 16th.

The wood delivery includes a joist and floor boarding for The Barracks. Work on the 10th and 11th had revealed wet and dry rot in a floor joist. The affected timber was removed together with large areas of the ground floor ceiling and internal plasterboard walls. All this demolition created a mess of broken plasterboard and timber which was eventually stacked outside to await the arrival of a rubbish skip. Chris Chilton, Rachel Chilton, Will Barron,  Sandra Hall, Pete Jackson,Allan Richardson, Steve Bentley, and Rosemary Vidler were the team.

The skip arrived for Wednesday 21st but had to be left near to Rampgill Level because the skip wagon could not get traction on the icy road. Martyn Langley later dragged the skip onto the site using his Land Rover.

On the  21st, the new joist was cut to size by Alec Langley and Chris Battersby and made ready for installation. Audrey Battersby cleared the ground floor mess and with Mark Hatton and Joyce Jackson worked to fill the skip with the demolition material. Colin Wilkinson was checking and rearranging the wiring in The Barracks. Sheila Barker and Anne Hopkirk tried to work in the Office whilst subject to power cuts. Meanwhile, Andy Hopkirk was discussing drone imagery and mapping with a new visitor, whilst Mark Hatton also introduced  our Eden District Councillor, Lissie Sharp,to the site.