For info about the latest project to prevent erosion of the Island please click on Emergency Fund

Doug Powell was elected Chairman, with Herbie Plater as Treasurer and Sally Hayden as Secretary.  Other committee members were Richard Haward and William Baker (representing the Company) plus John Stevenson, Denis Smy, William Kimberley, Sidney Wheelhouse, Don Butlin, Jean Stevenson, Charles Willis, and David Cardy.  Various other people provided considerable help, including Bill Baker, Norman Marfleet and others. 

They formed a Charitable Trust and set about raising money to restore the Shed.  Work started in 1991 and in September 1992 a restored Shed was re-opened.  Then, in 1994 the Trust was given a lease by the Tollesbury and Mersea Oyster Company, which included both the Shed and the whole of the Island .  

Through this team of volunteers, funds were raised through generous donations, bequests and fund-raising activities, including the National Lottery and the Shell Oil Company.  

The first task was to strip off the old roof and the wall boarding, so that the four main corner posts could be replaced, using old telegraph poles.  Other supporting poles were also dug out and replaced, with bracing added.  New door frames and window frames were made and installed and new corrugated roofing nailed into position.  This skilled work was mostly undertaken by David Green and Denis Smy, although much of the hard labour was supplied by Doug Powell using “guest workers” serving out Community Service sentences.  Norman Marfleet supervised the new toilet facilities, with water tanks fed by rainwater diverted from the roof guttering, while Bill Baker repaired the old door-lock and crafted a new key.

After much effort and hard work the Packing Shed was opened in 1992 for the benefit of the local community.