It’s fascinating to see others working on their projects: last month we were all lulled by the soft swish of a spinning wheel! Others have been doing beading, knitting, crochet, cross stitch, toy making. If you can’t make this month, we meet on the first Wednesday of every month.

Celia

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Part of the session was designed to get ideas and feedback on the Centre, which was very useful, with more suggestions for bingo or a lunch club for the older generation, dance and more food based activities. If you know anyone who would like to set up a group, please get in touch so we can help support any initiatives.

Enjoy flicking through the masterpieces created by members of the community.

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Are the kids bored already after three whole days off?  We have games, crafts and…drum roll…TABLE FOOTBALL.  OK so the table football isn’t for the kids if we’re honest.  They might be lucky to get a look in!

We’ve got something for everyone and we’d absolutely love to see you.  We’ll be open and cooking from 9 until 11.30 so please do call in.

Maybe you’ll leave feeling like this!

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We currently have four bits of information for you;

• The Eco-Code

This captures what we are trying to achieve at the centre in terms of our environmental aims.

• About Us

As its name suggests and importantly it reminds you to please get in touch if you have any ideas about what we could do better, or do more of. Either drop us an email to deancourtcc@gmail.com, or drop a paper note in the letter box outside the front door.

• Action Plan Update

We have an action plan that focuses (but not exclusively) on our three action areas this year of Energy, Waste and Healthy Living. This update tells you how we are doing against all the actions that we set ourselves!

• Monitoring Report

If you like simple graphs, you’ll love this. The emphasis being on ‘simply’ and with some colour too to tell you how much energy, waste and water we are using at the centre. We will also use this section to give you some ideas of what you could be doing at home.

We hope to develop the noticeboard in the coming months to include things such as a periodic ‘subject focus’ that we will rotate from time to time, and we might also try another location in the foyer for more impact. Watch this space, or that space!

Best wishes

Neil

Eco-Team Lead

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Fiona

I’m slightly reticent to start writing about Fiona’s amazingness, because the truth is, she’s so brilliant that there are bound to be several things I’ll accidentally miss out on account of not being able to hold all her many lovely qualities in my head at once… but here goes. You can add in what I’ve missed in the comments section below!

Fiona is, quite simply, outstanding. She first came on board the Community Centre project only a few months ago when she saw news of our intended Summer Fun Day and willingly got involved (without coercion or bribery) to run my favourite stall that DCCA has ever boasted at any of its events – a free baby guinea pig cuddling corner. Since then, she has rapidly become a lynchpin of the Community Centre project and I can tell you with certainty that the grand opening of the centre would never have come to such brilliant fruition without Fiona’s spreadsheets, unfailing humour, and incessant badgering of anyone who might give us a raffle prize. And all this despite being very poorly the entire week before and duration of the event. Her ability to handle large volumes of detail is unparalleled and she is constantly modest about her talents and gracious in pushing others into the limelight ahead of herself.

All those who have ever had the good sense to e-mail us with a booking enquiry will have encountered Fiona’s prompt helpfulness and unerring sense of humour arriving in their inbox. No matter what the request, big or small, outlandish or simple, Fiona is adept at putting everyone at ease and letting our customers know how important they are to us. She will always go the extra mile and is ready to help out at the drop of a hat.

Not content with managing all our customers, their bookings and the invoicing, (I know, now you’re wondering what the rest of us actually do!), Fiona is also spearheading our brand new community initiative, Sunday Community Breakfasts, and has single-handedly created this endeavour from scratch. And did I mention she helps with guides, runs the local brownie pack and mentors young people? And breeds baby guinea pigs? And has a full-time, fully-demanding job as a solicitor?

Fiona, you’re incredible. We don’t know how you do it all, but we’re glad you do!

– Anna

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Have a Dinner Party – Hen Do – Wedding – BBQ coming up?

Need to impress the neighbours or relatives with your culinary skills?

Come and join our fruit carving sessions at the Community Centre.

As part of the community consultations for the centre, we would like to invite you to learn how to carve fruit. There are two sessions planned for 21st June and 12th July from 10.30 to 11.30. These sessions are free in return for feedback and ideas for the community centre. As there were quite a number of you that signed up to take part, they will work on a first come, first serve basis as numbers are limited for each session.

If you are interested in coming along, please email me to let me know which session you would like to do.

nsharland@hotmail.com

We look forward to seeing you there.

Naomi

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Firstly, the centre was mentioned in the very popular Inside Oxford section of the Oxford Mail. For anyone who hasn’t seen it, catch up here http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/life/11259602.Swapping_baskets/

Secondly, Sunday is our first Community Cafe brunch. This was really popular at the a Opening Weekend and this is our first try at making it a regular event. We are selling bacon sandwiches, proper coffee and other yummy stuff. We will have papers for grown ups and fun for little ones, including a special session from the amazing Lorraine with Bonjour Lula for the under sixes.

Come along to meet neighbours, relax and to avoid the washing up.

See you on Sunday 9 to 11.30

The Dean Court Team

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David Wenham

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As we work towards the Eco-Centres award, we have been finalising the routine monitoring and reporting that we will be doing in respect of our energy and water consumption, and waste recycling.

The accountant in me loves a good spreadsheet and graph, but it also serves a really important function. Soon after we took over the lease of the centre we realised that there was a problem with the heating. We were able to spot this because right from the beginning we were taking regular electricity meter readings. In the space of two weeks we had identified and worked around the problem, and in the process reduced our daily electric consumption by over 80%. As you can imagine, this was really important financially too.

You will see our monitoring report on the (soon to be revealed) Eco-Team notice board which will include a commentary on what the graphs are telling us.

Perhaps the question now is, do you know how much you are spending on energy and where you might be able to make savings?

Neil Clark

Eco-Team Lead

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We meet again tomorrow, Wednesday 4^th June, from 7-9pm. New members are always welcome, regardless of your skill level, so dig out a project and join others who share your crafting enthusiasm.

Cost £3 per session, including refreshments, or £25 for the year.

Celia

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