The flowers on the magnolia tree outside my window are unfurling as I write, doing their own ‘unlocking’ as The Grange mirrors the national roadmap out of the pandemic.  We have all become increasingly excited and impatient here, in recent weeks.  We have so much we want to do, to make up for a year of stolen holidays, birthdays and hugs.  If there’s one song running through my head now that spring is taking the upper hand, it’s Feeling Good by Nina Simone, with the (slightly modified) refrain:

It’s a new dawn
It’s a new day
It’s a new life for us
And we’re feeling good

Our skills sessions are ramping up, ready for the return of our much-missed day skills participants from Monday 12 April.  We’re allowing families into the homes of their relatives again from Monday 17 May.  Our big project to design eco-friendly, state-of-the-art outdoor learning facilities by the Walled Garden is coming along fast.  We’re planning another of our memorable Grange Goes to the Movies nights as our first public event in the late spring.  There is so much to share.  In fact, if you haven’t already signed up to our regular newsletter, you really should.  Just fill in the short form that can be found in the footer of any of our website pages.

There are many ways you can support our work and if you would like to please visit https://www.grangecentre.org.uk/ways-to-support-us/

And if you have a little spare cash, after a year of not being able to spend anything, please consider sponsoring my 5-day, 95 mile Highland Hike in June using the link https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/EloiseAppleby  Should you wish to pay by cheque please make it payable to ‘The Grange Centre’.

Wewish you happy times ahead, and look forward to welcoming you back on site from the end of June, all being well.

Eloise Appleby

Chief Executive Officer