22/03/2018: Save Sutton Mill - Preserving national heritage

by Jonathon Cook, Director, National Millwrighting Centre

Save Sutton Mill, Norfolk and enable the creation if the National Milling and Millwrighting Academy. 

Sutton Mill, one of the most important unrestored windmills in the UK is facing a perilous future after its current owners decided to auction the site splitting it into two lots.

Sutton Mill, Norfolk - credit to Mike Page

 The decision has also put in jeopardy the plans of the National Millwrighting Centre CIC to buy Sutton Mill and use it as the base for the National Milling & Millwrighting Academy, a scheme to train traditional millers and millwrights to help secure the future of Britain’s wind and watermills.

 We, the National Millwrighting Centre CIC, ask for your help in promoting our Pledge Campaign to raise the funds required to enable us to recommence negotiations to buy the site and thus resume the project to create the National Milling & Millwrighting Academy.

  Our Funding The project has been backed by the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (SPAB) who have awarded a grant of £500,000, and North Norfolk District Council who have offered a loan of £350,000. Donations and pledges of support to-date are now in excess of £70,000, including significant support from the local community. 

To pledge money and to learn more about the project, click here We have until the March 31, 2018, to secure an additional £80,000 – can you help?

Our vision and plan
We plan to restore Sutton Mill, one of the most significant and largest corn mills in Norfolk, to be the base for the Academy, creating a living heritage centre – a commercial venture which will fund the training of millers and millwrights into the future.

Hopper and rust black and white - Newsight Photography

 The scheme will create a commercial flour mill (windmill) where we will train our millers, a bakery, shopping experience focusing on local foods, café, training centre and luxury Glamping facility (the site is on the Weavers Way). This heritage centre will sit alongside a millwrighting workshop and space for allied trades (blacksmiths, foundry, wheelwright etc) where we can train apprentice millwrights and which visitors will be able to tour, learning about Norfolk’s milling heritage and how mills are constructed and maintained.

 The project has seven key benefits:

• Training millwrights and millers to repair, maintain and run our traditional mills;
• Creating a new heritage attraction in a comparatively disadvantaged area of Norfolk;
• Creating a rich ‘local food’ offering for people from the surrounding area to eat, drink and shop;
• Permanent employment for up to 15 people;
• Helping to secure the future Norfolk’s wind and watermills including drainage mills;
• Safeguarding the Nation’s milling heritage;
• Providing facilities for the local community and community engagement.

 Current situation and how you can help
 The National Millwrighting Centre CIC had come to an agreement to purchase Sutton Mill from its current owners and were raising funds in order to complete the purchase.

Black landscape survivor - Newsight Photography

 With the decision of the current owners to withdraw from the initial agreement and initiate an auction and to sell the site in two lots, the CIC have launched a Pledge Campaign, asking people to pledge money which will only be called upon if a new agreement can be reached with the owners to purchase the whole site.

We therefore ask you to join our Pledge Campaign. To pledge money and to learn more about the project, go to www.suttonmill.org/donate We have until the March 31, 2018, to secure an additional £80,000 – can you help?

Additional Information

The project will ensure a secure long-term future for Sutton Mill, after many years of uncertainty. It is one of North Norfolk’s most important heritage buildings and is currently on Historic England’s Buildings at Risk Register.

 Sutton Mill has a huge following among people across the region and farther afield, something that has become evident from the significant interest in the project to date. When completed, the Heritage Centre will provide local employment as well as volunteering opportunities.

More information can be found here and on social media;

• Twitter - @suttonmill
• Facebook - Sutton Mill

Please call 07796 696091 for further information or email; jcook@suttonmill.org. 

 

The Global Miller
This blog is maintained by The Global Miller staff and is supported by the magazine Milling and Grain
which is published by Perendale Publishers Limited.

For additional daily news from milling around the world: global-milling.com

Integrated food supply chain to get integrated support

With ever-closer integration of farming and food manufacturing, world renowned science-based organisations Campden BRI and CABI have developed a strategic alliance to provide technical support from ‘seed to shelf’. The alliance will benefit small, medium and larger companies as well as initiatives from government and NGOs aimed at supporting food production.

The food supply chain faces enormous challenges in meeting the needs of a growing and more affluent population – all within the constraints imposed by sustainable production of safe and wholesome food. Science, technology, knowledge and their practical application will be absolutely crucial in meeting these challenges.

The alliance between CABI and Campden BRI will combine the power of over 600 experts in key areas such as sustainable agronomy, post-harvest technology, food processing and preservation, packaging, and hygiene and safety assurance. It will also draw on their extensive and long-established skills in information, publishing, knowledge management and training to ensure that the latest research and innovation is identified and practically applied.

Prof. Steven Walker, director general of Campden BRI commented, “The days when agriculture and food processing are seen as separate activities are fast disappearing. If we are to meet the challenges of tomorrow, we need to take an integrated approach to the supply chain. Combining our facilities, skills and expertise in processing technology, preservation, packaging and safety assurance with CABI’s in areas such as agronomy, biodiversity, and food security, makes us ideal partners to support the integrated food supply chain.”

Dr Trevor Nicholls, chief executive officer of CABI, added, “CABI’s involvement with industrial and governmental organisations, focussing on improving the incomes of smallholders in developed and emerging markets, allied to Campden BRI’s close linkages to the food industry - from small producers through to global corporates - means that together we have unrivalled coverage of the complete supply chain and the ability to deliver the knowledge, experience and partnerships that will provide practical solutions to challenging problems”.
 

The collaboration will be rolled out from late 2013 through specific initiatives and support packages. 

English: Oilseed Rape near East Martin Oilseed rape is the third important crop in the UK after wheat and barley. It can be either winter and spring sown. Winter sown oilseed rape is primarily grown for its oil, which is used in cooking and food processing. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)