A Star is Born (September 2024)
Six years have elapsed since we bought 68-70 Church Street, which had been lying empty and neglected for far too long. But now it has finally been brought back to life! The construction work is finished, the two flats are occupied by people who were in housing need (and work in the town), and the shop is ready for its new role as a pop-up shop for the community.
It was a complicated build that took three years (interrupted by Covid), with difficult structural issues, and serious increases in all the costs. Internally, the building is now completely new and transformed, rewired and re-plumbed, along with an additional bedroom and bathrooms, at a cost of just over £233,000. We have benefited from a lot of local fundraising, plus various grants and donations and a mortgage from the Ecology Building Society. But we need to raise a final £21,000 to meet our obligations by the end of September, and to complete the fishing touches, notably the mosaic floor tiles and the cast iron columns for the shop doorway.
We are a society for the benefit of the Bishops Castle community, owned by our shareholder members, and supported by many more. We couldn’t have got to this stage without the backing of so many people, and we’ve been greatly encouraged by the numerous positive comments, and encouraged by your appreciation of our efforts. You have been so generous.
Will you help us once again? You can donate by:
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Going to https://www.bcclt.co.uk/stars-appeal (please click the Gift Aid option to increase your donation by 25%)
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By BACs, making your donation to the Bishops Castle Community & District Community Land Trust Project Account, Sort code: 40-30-30 Account no: 41296906. Please add Gift Aid if you are eligible, by using the attached form below.
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By cheque, in an envelope marked BCCLT Stars Appeal. Post or drop it off at Enterprise House, Station Street, Bishops Castle SY9 5AQ, where you can also collect a Gift Aid form
THANK YOU
Who are we?
The Bishops Castle Community Land Trust is owned by its 286 shareholder members and managed by a Board of local people. Five women and six men are currently serving as Board members, and include a solicitor, a chartered surveyor, two people who run businesses in the town, a Town Councillor, a County Councillor and one of our tenants.
Elections to the Board are held every year. You do not have to be a member of the Trust to stand for election. We welcome enquiries from anyone interested in contributing to the work of the Trust.
For more information please contact jonathan.brown@bcclt.co.uk
What do we do?
The primary objective of the Trust is to provide affordable housing for local people in housing need. We meet that objective by building or acquiring buildings for the long-term benefit of the people in Bishop’s Castle and its surrounding area.
As a small independent Trust, we don’t receive government funding, and our main source of income is derived from the below market rents we collect from our tenants. From spring 2022, we have been renovating a neglected property left empty for six years, which will provide two flats.
We know how much our homes have made a positive difference to all those who have been given a roof over their heads since they were built in 2011, and want to do more.
Our homes
Numbers 1 and 2 Kings Head Yard provide affordable rented accommodation to local people in housing need, right in the centre of Bishops Castle.
With extra insulation, triple glazing and heat recovery, these homes have proved to be a real asset to the town since their construction in 2012.
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