Haslington Conservation Volunteers win Heritage Lottery Fund support

Haslington Conservation Volunteers                            Heritage Lottery Fund

Haslington Conservation Volunteers win Heritage Lottery Fund support

Haslington Conservation Volunteers have recently been granted £3,600 by the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) for a project aimed at improving the future of Winterley Mill Pool, a valuable local landmark. Led by volunteers from the local community, the project will focus on creating greater public awareness of the pool through the erection of replacement information boards and the production of easily accessible online information about its history and wildlife.

As part of the project the volunteers are planning to acquire a number of new skills, including methods of researching historical records and the use of specialist photographic techniques, to assist them in developing a comprehensive knowledge and understanding of the pool.

The project, which is also receiving a grant of £300 from Haslington Parish Council,   will ultimately enable everyone who is interested to learn more about the mill pool, which dates back to possibly the middle of the eighteenth century.

Commenting on the award, Project Manager Colin Lythgoe said: “We are thrilled to have received the support of the HLF and are confident the grant will enable us to research the history and wildlife of the site and make the resulting information as widely available as possible”.

Sara Hilton, Head of Heritage Lottery Fund North West, said: “We are delighted to be able to support Haslington Conservation Volunteers with this innovative project to get more people involved in learning more about their heritage. As well as exploring the history of the pool, the project will actively involve people in our natural heritage, deepening their understanding of their local environment.”

The Heritage Lottery Fund award comes less than a year after Haslington Conservation Volunteers were awarded the Conservation and Environment Award in the 2011 North West in Bloom Competition for their work in helping to protect and preserve the local countryside around Haslington. 

Using money raised through the National Lottery, the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) sustains and transforms a wide range of heritage for present and future generations to take part in, learn from and enjoy. “From museums, parks and historic places to archaeology, natural environment and cultural traditions, we invest in every part of our diverse heritage.  HLF has supported over 33,000 projects, allocating £4.9 billion across the UK. Website: www.hlf.org.uk”

If you have any information about the history or wildlife of Winterley Mill and Winterley Pool , which you would like to pass on to Haslington Conservation Volunteers, please contact Colin Lythgoe on 01270 – 582642. Any help provided will greatly assist the volunteers in producing as comprehensive a history as possible.