Volunteering – review of
2016 visitor season
Admissions
Weekly
opening from Wednesday to Saturday between 10.45 am and 4.00 pm
commenced in June. I opened the mill on 18 days in June, 12 in July,
15 in August and 18 in September. There were 2,450 visitors; one
quarter were children. I took £5,100 in admissions. Trustees and
other volunteers dealt with other admissions, for which donations
were made. There were free admissions for visits by working groups,
National Park staff etc.
Donations
The
donation points in reception and at the exit were really successful,
raising £xxx. Visitors donated generously for old library books and
stocks of post cards; only a few now remain.
Guided
tours
I
gave 384 guided tours, mostly to small groups of 2 to 4 people. The
maximum group size was 27. Visitors’ responses to the mill were
overwhelmingly positive. Retaining its character, the chance to see
milling in action, and taking home a bit of Eskdale, were high
priorities.
Volunteering
The
achievement I am most proud of was the recruitment of volunteers in
January and February. Volunteer numbers have never been great, but
they have achieved a tremendous amount. The mill’s internal
appearance has changed substantially and a logical story has been
laid out for visitors to follow. Volunteers significantly enhance
their experience and allow smoother running of tours.
At
the start of the season volunteers returned the upper wheel to
running order. A regular maintenance routine for the stones is in
place. Finger-post signs now orientate visitors to the mill. The
leaflet dispenser made by Rod Chilton was hugely popular.
The
skills base and enthusiasm of the volunteers is immense; they have
contributed on 24 days, with 4 to 6 volunteers present on average.
They are a tremendous group of individuals, with wisdom, insight and
a quiet but deep seated love of the place. The Trust organised a
training event and an enjoyable visit to Acorn Bank and Little
Salkeld Mills, when a lot was learned.
Partnership
building
Several
tour operators include the mill in their itineraries, and
relationships for future visits have been created. I organised two
working holiday task days, generously donated by the National Trust,
when a great amount was achieved. The National Trust also provided
drystone walling training for volunteers. Future volunteer-guided
walks have been planned with the National Park.
I
applied successfully on behalf of the Trust to NuGen (who hope to
build the new nuclear power station near Sellafield) for a grant to
buy garden tools for volunteer tasks in the grounds. I discussed a
grounds management plan with Cumbria Wildlife Trust. The partnership
with Heron Corn Mill at Beetham was invaluable, particularly when our
millstone bearings needed rebuilding.
Karl
Bartlett, Volunteer Development Officer
The
Trust is deeply grateful to Karl and all the volunteers who helped at
the mill this year : John Bromage, Cliff Carter, Rod Chilton, Leslie
Coan, Richard Eastman, Peter Harnett, Karen Mason, Iain McNichol,
Megan O’Gorman, Chris Reay, Rosie Robinson, Len
Watson and Jude Wildwood.