What a whirlwind it has been! Hearing the news in February (in the middle of Lockdown 3) that our lovely studio at The College Street Centre was being sold was just another blow to the crazy year we have all been through together.

I had been based at the College Street Centre for approximately 10 years, it had become my home and the management there had become part of an extended family. We have laughed together, cried together and supported one another through so many different occasions that the thought of leaving this support bubble, truly put a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach.

I have always been the sort of person who tries to turn a negative into a positive, so, I put my big girl pants on, took a deep breath and started to look for new studio’s.

I don’t know about you, but I absolutely love looking at properties on RightMove, I could spend hours scrolling and fantasizing about properties I could NEVER afford, but there is something that is quite satisfying in doing so!

There were a few beautiful buildings in the city centre with ‘a’ studio so I was trying to work out how I could make that ‘one’ studio work but then there was the parking issue, how could parents pull up outside and drop off, it was never going to work. Back to the drawing board I went.

So then I started to try and ‘think outside the box’ and was looking at run down buildings, churches that were closed etc. Still, nothing seemed to quite work! Or, if the building was amazing, it was in the wrong location.

Having been based in the city centre for so many years, I found it really hard to take a step back and look a little further afield, I guess we get stuck in a pattern. So, with some persuasion (thank you James), my search became a little broader.

I’d be lying if I said I viewed a huge amount of properties, because the truth of the matter is, I actually only physically viewed one! Due to COVID, it was difficult trying to get viewings anyway but sometimes, when you walk in somewhere, you just know.

Don’t get me wrong, the premises we are blessed with and able to call our ‘Attic home’ looked completely different to what they were like when we stepped in, however, I had a vision and knew this was ‘the’ place.

I met the new landlord as I was viewing the property, I instantly warmed to him, so I knew that although I had lost my safety net at College Street, my new found home offered just as much comfort.

So two months down the line, walls knocked down, walls rebuilt, new ceilings, new lights, new electrics, new floors, new stairs etc oh, and a reception area we all just love to ‘hang in’ … our new home at Trent Bridge was created and we couldn’t be happier!

Thank you to everyone who helped to make this happen, there are so many of you to name but you know who you are, whether you were helping to ‘scrub carpet glue off floors’ (the fluffies have many talents), helping me work out my finances, helping with design or simply pumping me up when emotions were a little wobbly, I thank you. Words can not express how eternally grateful I am to be surrounded by such wonderful people, including my family.

Lastly, thank you to my current ‘Attic Families’ and teachers for having faith in me and my vision and standing by me whilst we made the jump from the city centre to West Bridgford, I can’t wait to see what the future may bring … #atticfamily