High Salvington Mill Trust Ltd.

Registered Charity No 1090637

MILLER'S TALK

There is a tendency for everyone thinking of the Mill to assume that all the activity and work is actually done at the Mill site.

Far from it, as many hours are spent in planning future work and considering future policy and events, by not only the Trust Committee Members, but dedicated helpers, on and off site. Details such as Mill guides, school visits, publicity, historic past, internet content, financial matters, evening events and Fete activities, to just mention a few. There is much pounding of keyboards and groups chatting, talking over things together to make a way forward for the ‘good’ of the Mill.

This all sounds very healthy for any organisation.

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Much of this off-site activity occurred last year this time, for the Public Meeting and the 30 Year Celebration, which are both, a little ‘out of the norm’ events and we are feeling the beneficial results now. The Public Meeting brought in both ‘workers’ and ‘helpers’.

There are from five to eight new work people that ‘get their hands dirty’ on our Thursday working evenings and 1st & 3rd Sunday mornings, a welcome injection of new ideas and helping hands. Many projects have been completed and new ones are in the pipe line, thanks to their additional effort.

The past years Open Days have had new helpers in the Shop, serving Teas and on the Gate to help spread the load on the Rota, with most volunteers in attendance just once or twice during the 13 or 14 times we open. These are just two instances of dedicated assistance. Here’s another:-

The past 30 years of renovation work were brought before the public by the people that have loyally worked to obtain the result we see today in the working Mill. Over two days, a very full record of the ‘work done’ could be examined first by the public and then the following day by many Mill representatives who all considered the assembled artefacts a very informative display. An event successfully headed by our treasurer, undertaking the work of organisation and planning, Having got all of these historic details together we are planning to make a permanent exhibition in our gate house area..

The spin-off of the increased public awareness was shown in a rise in Open Day attendances, particularly in the spring. There was a bulge in new membership numbers to the 271 total, during the summer, 102 Life and 169 Annual members. Both of these are a benefit to the well being of the Mill. There are 11 members that have yet to renew.

Activities
The heat from the bonfire at the carol evening just before Christmas, matched the warmth of the occasion, (or was it the mulled wine?) and provided a healthy sum of £294.50 for The St Barnabas Hospice. Thank You for your support both musically, ably led by Father Norman, and financially for the good cause. The mince pies and beverages also proved popular, served by our ‘workers & Rota helpers’.

The next event, after the start of the Open Day season on the 1st of April, will be the National Mills weekend, of which we open on the Sunday the 13th of May. The Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (SPAB), their Mills Section, instigated the two day annual event, during which as many mills as possible over the country should be made accessible.

After our AGM on Friday the 25th May the next evening event will be on the 30th of June when we are holding a Barn Dance. Thinking of the English weather, in case it is rained off, would you keep the following 7th of July free as an alternative date. Don’t the children enjoy dancing? But come on parents, you should be dancing too!

The Mill maintenance has continued with the annual Breast Stone cleaning, bearing greasing, stone case (the tun) and flour chute scrubbing, making ready for grinding the purchased 8 bags of grain. Attention has been paid to the large double gate to the site, as the post and hinge had allowed the gate to drop. The mowers and site ‘gardening’ tools are now housed in the new shed built by our ‘worker’s’, separate from the main buildings. Site hedges needed attention due to the continuing mild winter season.

The Granary internal roofs tiles plastering, continues after 20 bags of lime/horsehair plaster have been applied. This requires determination and a dedication to see the job through. We will get there, soon, we hope! Normally we are covered white from flour dust, not plaster!!

You will be hearing about another ‘mill’ renovation during the coming months as we are to work on a small hollow post, single windpump. That will give the new working members a wonderful opportunity to get involved with mill technicalities.

Come and see us at the Mill, we look forward to showing you our work in the 2007 Open Season.

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