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Hi

Hello again, although I’m up north it seems as though I was still nominated to write the notes for this week. However that’s not all bad as I have some good news and some cautionary news for the shed. I’m also pleased to hear via what’s app that the shed had survived the deluge Edinburgh had with flying colours!! Thanks to all for the concerted effort in getting the roof completed.
Two pieces of good news; Friends of Muirwood Park have shown their appreciation of the work done by members of the shed by paying all the outstanding amounts for materials and also by giving a generous donation to shed funds. I’ll leave it to Stewart to inform you of the method of billing we came up with in conjunction with Lyall. It works, keeps our books and others’ books straight and also allows members to receive out of pocket expenses for purchased/non shed materials used.
The other piece of good news is that the Coop have advised that we will be receiving a total of £1495.22 from our year of funding by donations from customers. I would need to check with Lyall but this is made up of £145.24 already paid in April and £1349.98 to be paid in November. Considering all the setbacks with COVID that is an excellent result. More news on this and a presentation will follow but that’s the insurance for the shed sorted!
And now the cautionary news. COVID is still with us and the shed is not open for business regarding the new portacabin. If any work is done in it it will have to be cleared away including all tools etc as the next phase is to fill it with plywood and insulation, probably in two stages before we can even think of kitting it out for use as part of our shed. I put the lights in to help Geoff and John do the internal framing and then left them there to do the rest of the internal work until we get our proper electrical work done down the line. If the weather does not allow the cutting of the christmas trees outside it should wait for another day. Assembly and finishing can be done in the room in the scout hut.
Why am I saying this? As you know I had delayed coming north because the painter I had engaged tested positive for covid and had to isolate for ten days. It took him longer than that to get back to work and he is still not fully fit but what I did not know until I came north was that the contact was an elderly couple who have both since died due to covid and it’s not clear where they got the virus. I say elderly but they were in the 60-80 age bracket which is too close for comfort to many of us. So in my opinion, working in a portacabin not yet completed with more than three persons should not be undertaken. We can probably manage four with proper dust extraction and ventilation after all walls and paintwork is complete until we have a more definite steer on this virus. That is also why we require to use the room in the scout hall on a Friday morning so that any overspill from the main meeting can be accommodated with all the other interests and use of the kitchen for tea. There I’ve said my tuppenceworth act on it as you will.
On the same subject I will not be at the shed next Friday and possibly the one after because my wife today got notice of her cataract op for which she has to take a test a few days before then isolate until the op and for a couple of days after she wants to do the same so I will be keeping away from the shed after a week today and then from the main meetings for a further week at least. Because we have had to come back early for this op I’ll try and get some more materials ordered for the shed next Monday/Tuesday if all goes to plan.

That’s it for now,
Keep well and stay safe.
Regards
Alister



Alister Skinner
Chairman
Pentlands Men's Shed