FLOORED

The beam and block is all down in section A of the building and the insulation is nearly complete too, the excelent weather is still helping and they expect to start pouring the concrete base for the floor tomorrow!

Our sign has finally gone up, so now everyone can see how to get hold of us, there is also a notice board giving information about the site and PJ Care and Castleoak, so if you're passing stop and have a look.

Attenuation

Lovely aren't they? Part of the environmentally friendly approach to our buildings is this pile of vegetable crates (not the guys in the Hi-Vis) these actually make up the attenuation tank that will hold the surface and rainwater for other uses, this tank will flow into a pond designed to encourage wildlife and will hopefully dramatically reduce the amount of water flowing into the public sewers.

The crates are an incredible design, that enables us to put the tank in with minimal future maintenance and zero contamination. They are wrapped in waterproof lining and will hold thousands of gallons invisibly.

Storming ahead

Another visit to site and we're even further ahead!

The excelent weather is really helping as Simon and his team plough on, the beam and block flooring was being delivered today and some of them are already in place and safe to dance on...

If they continue at this rate we could be opening early!

Ahead of Schedule

As you can see from these pictures, things are moving ahead at a great pace, some good weather and excelent work from Simon the Site Manager and Steve Hill's ground workers sees us ahead of schedule everywhere except with Anglian Water who can't quite manage to connect two pipes together (a whole ten minutes work).

The water isn't a problem though as the Roman well is providing more than enough to mix the mortar and I think this is very apt - using water from the site to build the site. The build team haven't quite dared to use it for their tea yet though!!

Ground Broken

The Groundbreaking ceremony all went off very well last Thursday, we were joined by the Mayor of Peterborough, as well as many other local dignatories. We even got Jan into the digger!

Although a huge amount of the preparation work has already been completed, we had a clear area by the Oak Tree. Coupled with unexpected sunshine, the ground was firm enough to pose for some shots, before heading back to the site cabin for tea and home made cake (thanks to Seb and Krissy for that!) Alex the Archaeologist brought some of the finds from the well and everyone had a play with the two thousand year old pots and coins.

All in all a really good day.

And again...

And another appearance in the Evening Telegraph today, with a piece on the Roman finds on the site. All very exciting and hopefully we'll get a closer look on Thursday as the archaeologist is bringing some with him to the ground breaking. Personally I think the shoes and coins are fab, but the experts are getting worked up about the stone lining on the well... Shows what I know!

by the way thats a shoe in the picture - a Roman size 36 I think...

In the papers again

We were in the papers again this week, with a little piece in the Milton Keynes Citizen, not about the Peterborough site this time but a report on the awarding of Gold Standards Framework and Beacon Status to Bluebirds Nursing Home, the first home in Buckinghamshire to achieve this and one of very few homes nationally.

We're hoping to see the press on Thursday at the Oak Tree site for our ground breaking ceremony, the Mayor of Peterborough is coming and I have spoken to ITV and the press who have all shown an interest.

Watch this space!