Many thanks to Amber Valley-based BelCanto Chorus who performed an evening of contemporary music in aid of Heage Windmill’s Trouble at Mill Appeal at St Luke’s Church, Heage.
The event raised a huge £508, so thank you also to all who came and swelled our coffers!
Extra funds were raised through the sale of refreshments, coordinated by Heage Windmill volunteers including Chairman of the Trustees, Piers Bostock, who introduced the concert and said a few words about the tremendous fund-raising effort which will soon see the sails turning again at the windmill.
It was a red letter day for Heage Windmill just days before the opening of a new season.
Friends of supporters of the windmill gathered to welcome Cllr Dean Collins of Derbyshire CC who presented a cheque for £10,000 to Heage Windmill’s Trouble At Mill Appeal.
Cllr Collins said it was important to get this popular tourist attraction, which is run entirely by volunteers, back in action as soon as possible.
He also delivered to the Trust a formal 99 year lease for the mill, which helps ensure the long term future of the mill.
During the morning the sails, which had been re-furbished and painted by mill volunteers, were brought back to mill site on a special lorry, loaned by local company J.C Balls.
They will be hoisted into position as soon as the millwrights have completed their work. It is expected the mill will be in action again before the end of April.
It was last August when wet rot was found in some of the major timbers of Heage windmill and we were forced to stop producing flour.
It was a shock to all our volunteers but a clear decision was made: ‘Let’s get her working again – asap!’
A huge fund raising programme was set up and an assessment was made as to what work could be done by mill volunteers against the initial estimate of about £90,000.
When the cost was more refined it was in fact closer to £80,000. Fund raising has brought in £54,000 so far and with existing mill reserves we can just about cover the costs, although the essential fund raising is still going on.
The sails were removed and painted off site by volunteers over the winter and are now back at the mill. The millwrights have made a new fan staging and fantail (which turns the sails to face into the wind.) They have also made replacements for all the rotten parts discovered and have started to re-assemble the mill, whilst the cap has been repainted by volunteers.
The new fan staging is now back in place and a major move forward has been the replacement of the old weather beam (which supports the windshaft and sails).
There is more hidden work to do before the sails go back but hopefully, by the end of this month, all will be completed and the mill will be working again.
Amber Valley-based BelCanto Chorus will be performing an evening of contemporary music in aid of Heage Windmill’s Trouble at Mill Appeal at St Luke’s Church, Heage on Friday, April 15th at 7.30 pm.
Tickets are £5, available at the windmill from March 26th or by calling 0750 535 5620.
It could not have been a better day for Steve Holden, of Rocester in Staffs, who was Miller for the Day recently. On a warm day the sun shone brightly and there was a steady 20 mph wind, which made flour milling operations imperative for the qualified millers Brian Naylor and Alan Eccleston. They acted as Steve’s mentors through the day, teaching him, amongst many things, how to open up the mill, stop and start the sails and how to control their speed.
Above all he was able to assist in the actual milling of grain, and during the day they milled over 175 Kg of flour! As Steve said: ‘I had a great time. Many thanks to everyone for making me so welcome. It was one of the best things I’ve done in ages and would love to come back and spend another day milling.’
He was presented with a certificate to mark his day and left the mill quite delighted. We, of course, would be happy to welcome him back!
Details of how to become a ‘Miller for the Day’ can be found here
Heage Windmill now has a display board showing artefacts discovered during the restoration of the windmill between 1996 and 2002.
When the site at Heage was cleared, many artefacts – mainly made of iron – were found buried in and around the mill. In addition there were numerous pieces removed from the mill as they were either broken or worn out (see photo). These were collected together and in due course moved into covered store where they have been conserved but not displayed.
As they represented something of the mill’s past, a number of the mill maintenance team felt ‘something should be done’ with them on a more permanent basis. The various items were therefore carefully identified and the concept of a display was born. There is no spare space inside the building so a large board, mounted on posts, was conceived and the various piece mounted onto it.
All the pieces have been treated with preservative and the board itself can be demounted for internal storage during the closed season. Our guides have all been briefed and are able to explain in more detail than the small labels on the board can offer and what they represent.
The result is the current display board and our thanks are extended to the volunteers who assembled and presented this collection of our mill’s heritage.
Photo shows a collection of roller tie bars, as removed from the mill during restoration in 2002.
Congratulations to Sue Colclough from Clowne for winning this year’s Heage Windmill Art Challenge, now renamed the Margaret Bonsall Art Challenge in honour of the long-time past organiser of the event..
Under largely bright clear blue skies, the competing artists were invited to produce an image of the windmill, in the media of their choice, in just under four hours.
Sue Colclough receiving the Margaret Bonsall Art Challenge Trophy from judge Bryan Bonsall with Freda Stallerbrass and fellow judge Doreen Andrews looking on
Sue Colclough, a painter with the Barlborough & Clowne Art Group, produced an appealing acrylic representation on canvas.
Certificates and monetary prizes were given out by the two Judges -Bryan Bonsall and Doreen Andrews, both artists from Matlock Artists Society.
Bryan, the husband of the late Margaret, presented her with the new trophy, a Dartington crystal rose bowl, which will be held for one year by the winner.
2nd place winner Steve Ullyat from Derby3rd place winner Mandy Ahlfors of Heage
Second place went to Steven Ullyatt of Derby. Third was Mandy Ahlfors of Heage.
There was also a competition, for juniors under 16, which was won by 7 year old Amy Womble, who lives in nearby Harthill, for her acrylic on canvas.
The event was kindly sponsored by Alan Wilde Coaches of Heage in memory of Albert Wilde.
Heage Windmill is open every Saturday and Sunday and Bank Holiday Monday from April to the end of October, 11am to 4pm. For Admission Prices, Details of Group and School Visits and Where to Find us, click here >
Many thanks to Amber Valley-based BelCanto Chorus who performed an evening of contemporary music in aid of Heage Windmill’s Trouble at Mill Appeal at St Luke’s Church, Heage.
Extra funds were raised through the sale of refreshments, coordinated by Heage Windmill volunteers including Chairman of the Trustees, Piers Bostock, who introduced the concert and said a few words about the tremendous fund-raising effort which will soon see the sails turning again at the windmill.
