Lyme Regis Town Mill Trust are delighted to announce that their application for a grant of just over £127,000 from The National Lottery Heritage Fund has been successful. The grant, which is part of an almost £200,000 project, will enable the Trust to make a range of improvements, creating a sustainable future for this historic site. Further funding has been provided by Lyme Regis Town Council, Dorset Council's Cultural Fund, Low Carbon Dorset, the Medlock Fund and the Town Mill Trust itself.
The ancient watermill, set in the cultural quarter of Lyme Regis, was rescued from dereliction by local volunteers and restored nearly 25 years ago. Visitors can now not only visit the mill, free of charge, with its working water wheel, but also learn about the mill’s history and watch the millers at work, before buying the stoneground flour milled from organically grown grains. The mill site is home to a range of local artisans and craft businesses; there is also a cafe/restaurant, art gallery and the delightful Miller's Garden.
The National Lottery Heritage Funding gives a massive boost to the Trust's plans to encourage more local people and groups to visit and use facilities at the Mill, by funding the employment of an additional member of the team, dedicated to expanding the Mill's visitor and user profile.
The funding also enables further improvements to the site, among them a new access gate down to the Miller's Garden from the River Lim footpath and other metalwork, designed by local artist Hugh Dunford-Wood and fabricated by Arc Edge Metalwork in Bridport. A new door will welcome visitors into the shop and mill itself, which will host an improved, more accessible and 'hands-on' exhibition about the Mill's history and its importance in the Lyme Regis community. The addition of solar panels and new lighting will ensure that the Mill satisfies its environmental and sustainability responsibilities into the future.
Chair of Lyme Regis Town Mill Trust, Rob McLaughlin, says, "The team at the Town Mill, trustees, volunteers and local businesses, would like to say a big thank you to everyone who buys a National Lottery ticket, The National Lottery Heritage Fund and to the other funders who have contributed. This funding secures the historic Mill's future at the heart of the town".
Lyme Regis Town Mill has a vital community of volunteers: millers, engineers, flour baggers, shop helpers and gardeners, all featured on the Town Mill website. If you'd like to join the volunteers at the Mill they would love to hear from you.
