Meet the beach shelter buddies
Published Monday 2nd July 12 in Council - news and information releases news
Hard-working teams of people are lending their helping hands to restore beach shelters across Southend, to mint condition.
Southend-on-Sea Borough Council invited community groups and businesses to sponsor individual beach shelters.
In return for repairing and maintaining they are being allowed to advertise for free in the shelters.
All the available shelters have now been allocated or are currently under negotiation.
Among the organisations to leap at this opportunity to get involved, was Shoeburyness and Thorpe Bay Baptist Church -based on the corner of Thorpedene Gardens and Caulfield Road, Shoeburyness.
A project team of 38 church members, led by retired engineer Peter Hyde, is looking after three shelters between Ness Road and Maplin Way, and is currently part way through the refurbishment.
Southend-on-Sea Borough Council's Executive Councillor for Culture and Tourism, Councillor Derek Jarvis, said: "Congratulations to all those involved in the beach shelter project.
"They are really making a difference and helping to create a Better Southend."
Elizabeth Stoner, Ministry Leader for the community at the church said: "We care about the community we live in, so this was an excellent and practical way to demonstrate this.
"It has been a most enjoyable experience to work on the shelters.
"We will be using them to advertise some of our church and community activities including the church café, the Citizens Advice Bureau on Monday evenings and the Saturday Morning Club for the elderly."