Chesham House threw open its doors in what had been intended as a low-key reopening on Monday, but it turned out as anything but. There was even a queue to get in at 10am and when I arrived for elevenses along with some of the local councillors who have been so supportive of this Lancing gem it was packed, with the marvellous volunteers behind the counter in the vintage café rushed off their feet. I am sorry if I nabbed the last delicious cheese scone!
Last week a group of intrepid councillors and former councillor Tania Edwards, with a bit of hindrance from yours truly, donned our scruffiest painting gear to help decorate the flats above Chesham House which should be let out soon and again provide a much-needed income stream for the charity. We were helped very considerably by rather more professional volunteers Alex and Callum Doo, Dan Mionan, Eliot Vaughan, Simon Fisk and thanks to the generosity of local firms like Gardner and Scardifield who provided the paint.
The atmosphere was fantastic, and everyone was so glad just to be back meeting up with friends and local people after the dark days of the pandemic. If ever proof was needed that it was the wrong decision to try to close down Chesham House and that it has a bright and even busier future ahead of it at the heart of the Lancing community again, then this was it. So let’s keep it that way.
