We’ve really loved hosting two Sixth Form students from Farnborough College for a week of work experience at the Mindenhurst development.
Throughout the week, they’ve explored different aspects of construction, sustainability, and project planning, and we’ve been really impressed by their curiosity and enthusiasm. Here’s their blog, capturing what they got up to each day and what they learned along the way.
We kicked off the week with an introduction to the Mindenhurst project. We learned about the infrastructure being built and how things like traffic, flooding, and environmental impact are all carefully planned. It was cool to see how much thought goes into making sure everything works well for the people who’ll live here.
After that, we went on a site walk and saw loads of different areas, including where the sports pitches will be and how drainage systems are set up. We also found out about a contaminated area that needs cleaning before any building can happen which is something we hadn’t really thought about before.
Later, we joined a meeting about modular buildings and design compliance. We talked about the Grenfell Tower fire and how it led to new rules that make sure designers and contractors are held responsible for safety. It was a serious topic, but really important to understand.
We started the day learning about RAMS (Risk Assessment and Method Statements), permits, and how every day begins with a safety briefing. It was clear that safety is a massive priority on site.
In the afternoon, we visited the church and new church hall, where electrical work was being done. We saw how snags are spotted and sorted out. It was interesting to see how detailed the checks are.
We also visited the new allotments being built for the care home. They’ve been designed to be accessible all year round, with proper paths and layouts. It was great to see how construction can make a real difference to people’s lives.
We started with a research task on the Grenfell fire. It was shocking to learn how flammable materials and poor safety checks led to such a huge tragedy. We talked about how new laws now make sure people are held accountable if something goes wrong.
Later, we visited a CALA site where new homes are being built. We saw how the process works, from laying foundations to installing utilities. It gave us a proper understanding of how houses are built and how important it is to follow the right steps.
We learned about how engineers, consultants, and architects work together, and how their roles change depending on the company. We also looked at RAMS and Method Statement Checklists and tried to spot mistakes, like missing revision numbers or safety info. It was tricky but really useful.
We joined a meeting about progress on the allotments and church hall. It was interesting to hear how things move forward and what can cause delays. Later, we went back to the allotments to do a quality check, measuring benches and paths to make sure they matched the drawings. It showed us how important accuracy is in construction.
On our last day, we worked with maps and scale rulers to estimate material volumes. We learned how this helps figure out costs and how weight affects pricing. It was a good mix of maths and real-world application.
In the afternoon, we got hands-on with concrete mixing, spreading, and smoothing it out. We learned how to avoid bubbles and make sure the finish is right. It was a fun way to end the week and gave us a proper feel for the practical side of construction.
This week has been packed with learning and new experiences. We’ve seen how much goes into building safe, sustainable places and met loads of people who are passionate about what they do. If you’re thinking about doing work experience in construction, we’d definitely recommend it, just ask questions, get involved, and you’ll learn loads.
As the majority of our on-site work is now nearing completion, things have naturally quietened down and attendance at our community drop-in sessions have too. We have therefore decided to stop holding our monthly drop-in sessions at Mindenhurst. While we won’t be holding regular drop-ins anymore, we’re still very much here and happy to talk things through if there’s anything on your mind.
If you have any questions, concerns, or would simply like an update on the development, we’d love to hear from you. Whether it’s over the phone or in person, we’re always happy to chat.
📍 Pop in: Our office is on Newfoundland Road
📧 Email us: hello@mindenhurst.co.uk
🌐 Stay updated: We’ll continue to share news and updates on our website at www.mindenhurst.co.uk
Earlier this month, 152 pupils at Lakeside Primary School learnt about the importance of staying safe and the dangers of playing near construction sites as part of a curriculum-based programme hosted by Cala Homes (Thames).
The children participated in Cala’s ‘Stay Safe, Stay Away’ initiative, hosted by Steve Morris, who provided the pupils with an interactive session that explored the history of building houses. The children also had the opportunity to dress up in protective equipment while learning the important message that construction sites are not a place to play around.
The initiative is a fundamental part of Cala Homes’ Community Pledge for its latest development, The Glades at Mindenhurst, Deepcut, which is situated only an 8-minute walk from the school.
Through the Community Pledge, the housebuilder commits to delivering positive social impacts to the areas where they build through community engagement initiatives, including school workshops, volunteering, donations, sponsorships, and bursaries.
Emma Fell, Assistant Head at Lakeside Academy, said: “From all our pupils and staff, we’re thankful to Cala Homes and Steve for his engaging and interactive presentation, which provided us all with valuable insights into safety regarding the development in our community and helped us understand further the importance of site safety. Our KS2 pupils thoroughly enjoyed the session and were particularly enthusiastic about trying on the protective gear and discussing what they’d learnt with the team.”
Steve Morris, Group HSE Manager at Cala Homes, said: “At Cala, we are committed to educating young people about the dangers of playing near construction sites through our Stay Safe, Stay Away initiative. While we ensure all our sites are secure, it is essential for children to understand the potential risks associated with entering construction sites to keep them and their friends safe.
It was wonderful to see the kids actively participating in the presentation, asking inquisitive questions, and it’s always fun to have a few pupils dressed up in our safety gear to give them a more hands-on understanding of the work that happens onsite and to highlight the importance of leaving construction sites to the professionals.”
The Glades at Mindenhurst will soon be offering a collection of two, three and four bedroom houses as well as one and two bedroom apartments. For more information on The Glades at Mindenhurst Development, visit: www.cala.co.uk/homes-for-sale/south-east-england/surrey/the-glades-at-mindenhurst-deepcut
Schools near a Cala Homes development can register their interest in Stay Safe, Stay Away by getting in touch via the website: www.cala.co.uk.
We will shortly carry out resurfacing works on Deepcut Bridge Road between the Brunswick Road junction and the mini roundabout onto Lake Road. This work will complete the road surfacing improvements we conducted last year.
To facilitate these works, this part of the road will be fully closed over three nights, with the following diversion in place: Diversion Route
The works are scheduled to take place on the 28th, 29th, and 30th of April from 7pm to 7am.
We understand that this may cause some disruption and inconvenience however we appreciate your patience and understanding as we work to improve our community’s infrastructure.
We were recently invited to Camberley Manor Care Home to talk to residents, their families, and staff about the development. The visit was a wonderful opportunity to share updates, gather valuable insights, and connect with our neighbours at the care home.
The residents were keen to learn more about the development and engaged in conversations about the amenities being provided. We really value these interactions and appreciate the warm welcome and interest shown by everyone at Camberley Manor.
We are excited to introduce Tom Pearson, the talented artist commissioned to create three pieces of public art for our development. These artworks will be thoughtfully integrated into various settings within the area. The themes of these pieces will honour our rich military history, highlight the importance of our natural environment, and symbolise the integration of old and new communities.
Currently in the design phase, Tom has been actively consulting with different local groups to gather ideas and inspiration. Recently, he organised two workshops with Year 6 students at Lakeside School, facilitated by fellow artist Emily Tracy.
In the first session students explored the history of Deepcut as the headquarters of The Royal Logistic Corps. They learned about the many tools used by The Royal Engineers and The Royal Logistic Corps. Armed with templates and cardboard boxes, students created intricate designs representing these tools, paying special attention to details like dials, buttons, switches, and other unique features.
The afternoon session focused on celebrating the old and new aspects of our community through creative door designs. Students were given templates of open doors and tasked with designing one side to represent “old” doors from historical times and the other side to embody “new” modern doors. Using various materials, they glued surfaces and features onto their models to bring their visions to life.
These workshops provided an excellent opportunity for students to engage with public art concepts while contributing their creativity to Tom’s project. We can’t wait to see how these ideas will influence his final designs!
The Diocese of Guildford has announced a significant milestone in its history with the establishment of a new parish in Deepcut. This marks the first new parish formed in Surrey this century.
At the heart of this new parish will be St Barbara’s Garrison Church, which is undergoing extensive refurbishment along with the construction of a new church hall as part of the Mindenhurst Development. We are proud to be creating a lasting legacy by providing spaces that will foster community engagement, preserve our heritage, and enrich the lives of future generations. Once complete, both the church and new hall will be gifted to the Church of England Guildford Diocese to serve and support Deepcut’s growing community.
Below, the Diocese of Guildford share their journey and the successes that have led to this historic moment.
The former St Barbara’s Garrison Church is set to become the heart of a newly-created parish in Deepcut. The Church of England Parish is the first to be established in the Diocese of Guildford in 25 years.
The journey to create this parish began in 2017 with the development of 1,200 homes on the site of the former Army Base. Supported by seed funding from the Diocese of Guildford, The Revd Daniel Natnael, along with 20 members of St Paul’s Church in Camberley saw the development of the new Mindenhurst Village as the perfect opportunity to ‘plant’ a new church at St Barbara’s to serve the community of Deepcut.
However, when the Army closed the garrison church just after the pandemic, the church community had to get creative, initially meeting for socially distanced Sunday worship in the church carpark and then leasing halls in two local schools.
Despite not yet having a permanent church building, St Barbara’s has made themselves a hub of the community, offering outreach groups to connect people, hosting a baby and toddler group in the local care home, as well as weekly coffee mornings in the local pub, The Frog. The minister even uses the pub as his current office.
The church has also been one of the first to engage with asylum seekers housed in a nearby hotel; ensuring they have access to activities, warm clothes and advice.
Becoming a parish will mean the church occupies a geographical territory within the diocese and will operate independently when it comes to governance and finances. A parish also has the legal right to perform baptisms, weddings and funerals. The establishment of this new parish bucks the national trend where almost 300 parishes closed in a five-year period between 2016-2021, although weekly church attendance is rising.
The Revd Daniel Natnael said:
“This historic moment is the culmination of a long journey where we faced many obstacles including a global pandemic and complex planning challenges. Because we didn’t have a permanent church building, we had to think outside the box and look for ways to bring the church into the community. Our key mission has always been to be a Christ-centred, mission-shaped, visible and accessible church open to all. Jesus didn’t expect people to come to him, he went to them to preach the good news. We have an active congregation which has increased from 20 to 100 and includes people of all ages and backgrounds.
“The pandemic helped focus people’s minds on what is important, and more people are open to exploring their faith. I’m delighted that the establishment of the Deepcut Parish will bring us closer to achieving a 7 day-a-week church in the heart of the community and for the community.”
The Rt Revd Andrew Watson Bishop of Guildford said:
‘I have been so excited to see the new congregation take root in Deepcut, and to witness the gifts and diversity of the Church that is emerging under Daniel’s expert leadership. It’s somewhat unusual to create a new parish in the Church of England in the 2020s, and a testimony to the work of some passionate and outward-looking believers who are an inspiration to us all.”
We are pleased to offer Christmas tree recycling again this year and have set us a recycling point at our Mindenhurst office on Newfoundland Road.
We’ll recycle and reuse them on the development, so, if you want your Christmas tree to have a lasting place at Mindenhurst then please bring it to our recycling points.
We will be collecting trees between 26th December and 6th January.
Due to the forecasted high winds over the weekend, there is an increased risk of falling trees and branches in the Central SANGS area.
For your safety:
Stay safe!
We have heard reports that playful Christmas Elves are heading to the Central SANGs again from 12th to 20th December.
We need some help checking up on them to make sure they are not getting into too much mischief. So why not have a festive walk through the Central SANGs and see who you spot playing in the trees!
The elves mentioned that they love receiving letters. If you would like to send them a letter or a drawing, they would certainly write back and send a little Christmas gift!
Please send letters to: The Christmas Elves, Mindenhurst Project Office, Newfoundland Road, Deepcut, GU16 6SR. Alternatively just send a photo of your letter to hello@mindenhurst.co.uk and we will pass it on.
Don’t forget to share pictures of your elf hunt with us on Facebook at Facebook/MindenhurstDeepcut.
Keep up to date with the latest news and events, as well as construction progress by signing up for our digital newsletter.