Thursday 15/9/22  Four of us spent the day preparing for Heritage Open Days this coming weekend. Anne Marie straightened the insect hotels which were leaning over and weeded behind them and around our small Ash tree. This revealed the many trees planted by Stuart and Andrew in March.

Eddie cut the grass again in front of the wagon up to the river bank and strimmed around the habitat and insect hotels. He used our new bird feeder cleaning kit to sanitize the feeders, then filled them using the new scoop. Eddie also removed and cleaned the Perspex panel in front of the water wheel hub on the walkway and washed the glass panel over the brick floor.

I finished wiring the shelving lights and display screens in the visitor centre so we can have them all working together for the open days. I also oiled the water wheel bearings and sorted out some objects to use for demonstrations where visitors can try out metal detecting. I checked the fence around the cistern top was secure, this was put back last time.

Emma spent the morning weeding the wildflower area with a hoe, as lots of small weeds have come back. We'll prepare the soil and sow wildflower seeds after the open days. Emma then cleaned the visitor centre and railway wagon which will be our kitchen. Emma kept us supplied with tea and biscuits which we had outside, Eddie spotted a Moorhen crossing our lawn.

Debra visited with Labradors Hector and Henry, they found a ball on their way which was left at the mill so visitors dogs can play with it, we also have dog biscuits and a water bowl. Debra told us Fred has repaired the bridge bearing so we will be able to use the swinging footbridge at the open days. David put the bridge back together on Thursday evening. 

Back at The Maltings we put up car park and toilet signs ready for the open days, the recent rain softened the ground making it easier to hammer sign posts in. We put our HOD banner on the main entrance, we will also put one on our bridge. 

Saturday 17/9/22 We started setting up for Heritage Open Days at 9:00 am, as we opened to the public at 11:00 am. Ryan and Emma put up balloons and HOD signs by all the entrances, David and I put up additional parking direction signs at The Maltings. The trailer was loaded up including a bench for people waiting for transport to the mill, which was put by the railway piers on our way down, we also stopped at the upper lock to put out the information sign and picture of Airmen swimming there in 1917.

At the mill we put bunting and balloons on the buildings and fences, the recently repaired swinging footbridge was put across the river with an HOD banner attached so walkers could join us from the Nar Valley Way. Lyndsey went across and strimmed the footpath opposite the mill, this was the first chance to do this as the bridge had been out of action due to a seized bearing, Fred and David repaired it last week.

The old table top from our picnic bench was set up as a trestle table for the food. The picnic bench was moved near the wagon to allow our transport vehicles to turn round. Photo albums of restoration work were put on the large table with the donation box. Sack barrows and a surveyors chain were put on display outside the visitor centre, the model mill was displayed indoors on the replica grindstone.

The pump was put in its containment tray and connected to the hoses, then started up which got the water wheel turning. The illuminated shelves and display screens in the visitor centre were switched on with slideshows of restoration work and making the wildflower meadow. Explanation signs were put out by the various features and Ryan set up the metal detecting demonstration with a sign, some buried metal objects and 3 metal detectors including his own. 

See the Heritage Open Days page for pictures of the event.

Sunday 18/9/22 Before visitors arrived Graeme, Fred, David and I looked at the solar panels to decide where to put them and how to connect them in to power the visitor centre, shed and railway wagon. The panels need to face the sun so will need to be on the front of the visitor centre, they should blend in well with the black roof. Solar panels are part of our Green Community grant and will be installed soon.

On Sunday afternoon when most visitors had gone, we marked the water wheel at the point where it slowed down, stopped the pump and re-positioned all the balance weights to try to prevent the wheel slowing down. It certainly had an effect on the balance, but needs more work to position the weights better. We discussed plans for removing the green container before winter as it has been replaced with a shed as part of the Wildflower Meadow project.

Ryan’s Gran has given us some wildflower seeds for our new meadow, now the open days are over we will prepare the ground by clearing rubble, rolling and harrowing, then sowing the meadow which will be done in the next few weeks.

Graham Bartlett  

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