Still we progress, now it’s Easter Weekend here and we can really be proud of our achievements.

The two derelict allotments we are leasing from the council have now changed shape and contours. The top side is banked up to form a reservoir for our Wind pump and hydram, and the lower half forms our Reed bed. The Reed Bed is on hold until the water is pumped out from Path Head Landfill just up the road. If we pre-empt this operation we find that our new Reed Bed is scoured out by the extra amount of water. Once this is completed then the pipes can be connected and this will pass all our water through the Reed Bed Filter.

The Island and Bridges are now complete and one can walk around the footway and out into the middle of the Mill Pond. This project has given us a great increase in our waterside habitat and also an increase in the running time for The Mill, thanks to Sita for the funding to do this project.

The Wind Pump is up and running and has proved to be very good, but, restricted to the Wind! The Hydram is being sourced and should be installed for Summer, so all our Renewable Energy Projects will be up and running this year. The Water Turbine pipe and valves are in place, it still remains to locate The Turbine in it’s draught tube and fix this in the tailrace.

So, all in all Path Head development moves on and we have several events planned for this Summer, starting with a Street Organ recital by Fred & Ruth Robinson from Hartlepool Saturday 24th. April and they wish to take up a collection for Tyneside Leukaemia Research for the R.V.I. should be a good old sing along.

May 8th. & 9th. is National Mills weekend and we hope to have music from XYZ Group, Saturday 15th. & Sunday 16th. May, Local History Weekend, the Mill is open free this weekend, we have a Craft Fair on 12th. & 13th. June and a Tractor Weekend on the 19th, & 20th. of June, so lots to look forward to this Summer.

Think that’s about all for now and a Happy Easter from The Mill in hindsight!

Trevor & Ben, April 2004