Tractor day at Heage Windmill on Sunday September 4th was a roaring success, and even the sun came out later in the day.
Some two dozen carefully restored tractors – of a variety of well known makes – were lined up in the paddock area and visitors were able to examine, discuss and in some cases sit on them!
We were also pleased to be able to fly, for the first time, the 2016 Flag of Excellence , provided by Trip Advisor, marking our second year in that category as a tourism site.
The Nunsfield House radio club were in attendance and were making contact with other amateur radio stations round the world.
They had some special news to impart: one of their members who was on site, Stephan Latimer, was the winner of a prize draw made at the mill, at noon. His prize, a week in a holiday cottage in Belper, had been donated by local man, Barry Lewis, and all proceeds have gone into the mill repair fund TAMA (Trouble at the Mill).
Also on the day, we were presented with a scale model of the windmill, made by Mr Michael Nunns, which took 8 months to make and used approximately 5,500 match sticks.
This excellent model will be on regular display at the mill.
The ever popular bric a brac stall was particularly busy and, again, proceeds went to the mill repair funds. Keeping a 220 year old Grade 2* listed machine in working order needs a lot of money!
