TMWFs Lakeside Retreat
The Malcolm Whales Foundation has decided to build a Lakeside Lodge at Rookery Waters in Pidley Cambridgeshire.
A FREE Retreat for families affected by cancer.
The Lodge is officially open!
Following the open day on Sunday 24th November, the lodge opened its doors to the first family on Friday 29th November 2024.
A great feeling and a huge accomplishment for everyone at The Malcolm Whales Foundation.
What a legacy for Malcolm.
The journey is documented below:
The Malcolm Whales Respite breaks (written in 2022)
We are delighted to announce our major project for 2022/23.
TMWFs biggest fundraiser ever has launched. This year’s challenge is to raise £85,000 + to build The Malcolm Whales Lakeside Retreat. The lodge will provide a free respite breaks for families and individuals affected by cancer.
The lodge will be situated on the bank of ‘Rook’ fishing lake at Rookery Waters, Pidley. It will provide quiet and essential family time.
Rookery Waters is a quiet family run leisure facility with seven lake fisheries, a tackle shop, a café, a caravan site and holiday lodges all located in the quiet Cambridgeshire countryside.
The lodge will have its own private fishing platform. Its location is ½ mile from Lakeside lodge, a golf complex with ten pin bowling, a restaurant and bar facilities. We are hoping that we will be able to provide additional opportunities and experiences for the families whilst they stay – which will include fishing equipment, bikes, toys, electronic devices etc.
The lodge will be available free of charge, 12 months of the year, for families undergoing treatment and wanting some time away. The exact details around accessing the lodge will be decided upon once we are up and running and fully understand the demand.
What can you do to to help?
- If you would like to donate – visit the lodge justgiving page
- To make contact with us please email themalcolmwhalesfoundation@gmail.com
- If you are local and might be able to offer services free or at a reduced rate to further enhance their stay at the lodge please get in contact with us.
- Share the story, we need people to know about it.
Lastly and perhaps most importantly:
The biggest thank you must go to the German family who own Rookery Waters and have offered the land where the lodge will be located rent free.
As a family they are some of the biggest supporters of the Foundation and this couldn’t be demonstrated more than by this level of generosity. I am very lucky to have them as my in-laws and I appreciate all the support that they offer to me and to the charity – thank you!
Update (April 2024): The lodge has been ordered. The design will give the lodge two bedrooms and an open plan kitchen and lounge.
We are expecting the lodge to be built and operational by summer 2024.
The build doesn’t come with a Kitchen or Bathroom – we need to buy and install these, if you are able to help please get in touch. themalcolmwhalesfoundation@gmail.com
This link takes you our request for help video: Click here Help required!!
The build begins…
April 2024:
The build and the subsequent interior work lasted just over 6 months.
- The Facebook Page shows the ongoing journey of the build and can be accessed Click Here.
- I have also created a YouTube playlist that contains the progress videos over the course of the project Click Here
April 2024
We are expecting the construction on-site by the middle of June.
We then need support with the purchase of the bathroom, kitchen, electricals, interior furnishing and the exterior – the decking, furniture etc.
We will also need help with the installation of the kitchen/bathroom/decking…
If all goes well and we get enough support we hope to open the lodge to our first families in early autumn.
May 2024
At the moment we are gathering offers or possible interest. Hopefully in the next 6 weeks we will need help. The plan (loosely) is to have a couple of working weekends where people can offer as much or as little time as they can. We may also do some evenings. We don’t want people to loose earnings etc.
Once we are up and running. We hope families might want to fish while they are there. We may be asking volunteers to teach/help those that don’t know how!
Regular updates can be seen via our Facebook Page HERE
23rd July 2024
The Lodge is progressing at pace. The external structure is almost complete.
We are moving into our next phase. We need to complete:
- The kitchen/bathroom
- The plastering
- Flooring
- Decorating
- Furnishing
- Decking
October 2024
The lodge is built, the decking is complete, the kitchen and bathrooms are almost complete.
The flooring is going down and the furniture is being built – flat pack 🙁
I have decided to call the Lodge: ‘Malcolm’s Retreat’ a fitting name and a very proud moment when the sign goes up.
The tradesmen have been amazing in getting the work done. A massive thanks to: Roger Shakespeare, Liam Peacock, Matt Nash, Rob Balchin, Fraser Hutton and Matt Brown.
This project hasn’t required an army of helpers – it has relied on the skilled workforce listed above.
November 2024
The work is almost complete, we enter the snagging stage!
The furniture is almost built, now we check we have everything we need.
Will we be able to get the LPG connected or will it be cold water all round.
Then we will need to road test it. The Whales family with our 3 boys will stay and work out what doesn’t work and needs further attention. We will find all the things we forgot to buy!
The next stage is to open to guests. The current thinking is to offer stays for Wellbeing breaks. Getting the support staff to visit and experience the lodge will enable us to spread the word and really launch Malcolm’s Retreat.
The work is complete:
The opening date is set for a chance for thank yous and for people to come and visit the lodge
Malcolm’s Retreat
On Sunday 24th November we opened Malcolm’s Retreat.
Following all the amazing work of our incredible tradesmen. The final stages of the build leading up to the opening consisted of hours of flat pack furniture building, curtain hanging, cleaning and ‘home making’! By the 24th we were about 95% there – but, no gas connected and the first guests arrive in 5 days!
For the opening day, a mix of TMWF supporters arrived during storm Bert. The German’s my in-law’s where there in force, friends, work colleagues, partner charities and even some local families who will be benefiting and staying in the lodges arrived to celebrate the completion of the lodge.
As I stood in front of the window, the lake behind me looked more like the North sea with gales and waves. But despite the murky weather, inside the feeling was much more positive.
It was a real pleasure to be able to open the doors to so many people enabling them to see how magnificent the lodge looks. It was also fitting to be able thank everyone who has contributed to this incredible project.
Finally, it was a fitting way of saying thank you to Tony McInally who is taking a step back from his position as a Trustee to become a Patron. Tony’s 16 years have seen the charity change beyond measure. We all appreciate his commitment enormously!