Welcome to COMMUNITY

My own house was in Northcroft and was also built with energy savings. The North facing windows were small and the south facing windows were very large wit patio doors. I remember that my heating bills were much lower than where we previously lived.

There was a windmill which was working when we first moved into Shenley Lodge, this made a whirring/whoosing noise and it served about 8 - 10 houses. A survey was conducted with all the residents for the noise level. It did not bother me but some local people were disturbed by the noise, and the distracton when driving."

Sue also expressed that " it was an exciting time being a new member of a local community not properly established."

I also asked Sue to tell me about her involvement in the local playgroup and how this was formed.

"The playgroup was set up in 1987. Sue's children went to a mother and toddler group in what was called the Community House (Meeting Place was not completely built at that time). She was the Treasurer. Lots of fundraising took place and she remebered with laughter selling sandwiches at the Milton Keynes Bowl out of prams and pushchairs to raise money for the playgroup, after a Rock concert. The Playgroup was called "Windmill Lodge Playgroup" after of course the Windmill."

The sign which is on the Meeting Place was designed by Catherine Barret. (link to picture). There was a barbeque and celebrations when the sign went up.

Sue's children Stuart and Laura went on to school at Loughton until Caroline Haslett was built. They were two of the first children to attend the school with the current Headmaster Mr Paul Hussey.




		Windmill Playgroup
	Interview with Sue Rhodes - a local resident of Shenley Lodge

Interview with Sue Rhodes who has been a resident in Shenley Lodge since 1987. Sue is a mother of 3 children and she was treasurer on the local Playgroup committee when her two eldest children Stuart and Laura were young. I asked Sue to give me her recolection of what Shenley Lodge was like when she first moved to Milton Keynes.

	"Shenley Lodge was locally known as Energy World. It was all farmland apart from the Energy World Development Site and the exhibition houses. I remember coach loads of people from all over the world and in particular Japanese/Chinese business people. They took loads of pictures of all the houses. At that time a few were still open in the exhibition. My own house was in Northcroft and was also built with energy savings. The North facing windows were small and the south facing windows were very large wit patio doors. I remember that my heating bills were much lower than where we previously lived. There was a windmill which was working when we first moved into Shenley Lodge, this made a whirring/whoosing noise and it served about 8 - 10 houses. A survey was conducted with all the residents for the noise level. It did not bother me but some local people were disturbed by the noise, and the distracton when driving." Sue also expressed that " it was an exciting time being a new member of a local community not properly established." I also asked Sue to tell me about her involvement in the local playgroup and how this was formed. "The playgroup was set up in 1987. Sue's children went to a mother and toddler group in what was called the Community House (Meeting Place was not completely built at that time). She was the Treasurer. Lots of fundraising took place and she remebered with laughter selling sandwiches at the Milton Keynes Bowl out of prams and pushchairs to raise money for the playgroup, after a Rock concert. The Playgroup was called "Windmill Lodge Playgroup" after of course the Windmill." The sign which is on the Meeting Place was designed by Catherine Barret. (link to picture). There was a barbeque and celebrations when the sign went up. Sue's children Stuart and Laura went on to school at Loughton until Caroline Haslett was built. They were two of the first children to attend the school with the current Headmaster Mr Paul Hussey.