NEWS & EVENTS

  Thirty years after he took up the role of Director of what was then called the North East Civic Trust, Graham Bell has announced his retirement from Cultura to coincide with its 60th anniversary in 2025.  Graham succeeded Neville Whittaker, the first director, who also served for 30 years.  Graham has led the Trust through many significant projects throughout the North East, North Yorkshire, Cumbria and beyond, which have preserved and enriched the fabric of the region.  He will continue with his other personal roles in the UK, with Europa Nostra and across Europe. Deborah Jenkins, Chair of Cultura, is taking on the executive leadership of the Trust during a transition period from 1st August, working with trustees to ensure the continuity of existing commitments and relationships, and to build the vision for the next stage of the Trust's work. An important task in the coming months will be to celebrate the 60th anniversary, bringing together many of the people who have been involved with the Trust over six decades for a series of events in the autumn, reflecting on its history and future. From 1st August, Graham is continuing as Project Advisor on existing projects on a part time basis until his official retirement.  therefore, for all enquiries, please contact either deborah.jenkins@culturatrust.org   or joan.robson@culturatrust.org Deborah Jenkins, MBE,DL Executive Chair    

Today marks a new future for Warwick Bridge Corn Mill as ownership transfers from Cultura Trust to Warwick Bridge Corn Mill Ltd.  See full press release below:- On 28 March 2025, Cultura Trust handed over the keys and freehold of an historic watermill to Warwick Bridge Corn Mill Limited (WBCML), which has operated the mill as a tenant since 2020. This will allow WBCML to begin trading again immediately. Cultura Trust, formerly North of England Civic Trust, acquired the mill in 2015 and raised nearly £2m to purchase and restore the grade II* listed mill back to full operation, thanks to £1.4m from the The National Lottery Heritage Fund, £187,000 from Historic England, and other grants from Cumbria County Council and a range of charitable trusts and donors. A grant from the Architectural Heritage Fund (AHF) in 1999/2000 had helped establish that a working mill and bakery was a viable proposition, powered by its revived historic water supply. AHF and the Plunkett Foundation provided grants and advice to establish if a Community Benefit Society could be set up to run the mill. Supported by nearly 250 not-for-profit shareholder investors and the Co-Operatives UK Community Share Scheme, fit-out of the bakery ready for operation was achieved. WBCML was born. Building up the operation of stoneground flour and artisan crafted baked products from a start during the Covid pandemic has not been easy for WBCML or Cultura. The transfer of the freehold gives WBCML full control over its premises and business; it frees up Cultura to move on to other projects. Deborah Jenkins, Chair of Cultura, explained that ‘this arrangement is a logical step for a community and its asset. It does mean that Cultura must write off a substantial debt, but our charitable role, in this our 60th anniversary year, is to enable projects and support communities.’ Fiona Brew, Co-Chair of WBCML, welcomed the opportunity that ownership of the mill brings: ‘Warwick Bridge Corn Mill Limited is excited to be able to trade again and return to supplying our markets, wholesale customers and community. We would like to thank everyone for their support and words of encouragement over the last two months and look forward to seeing you again.’ The transfer has received invaluable support from local MP, Julie Minns: ‘starting a new local venture during Covid was a tough call. But this unique project has persevered and deserves our support – and custom – as it moves into a new phase.’        

  Curious about Barnard Castle?  Come along to a FREE talk on the evening of 11th April to learn about one of the hidden gems - Ambrose Edwards' 18th century town house on Market Place and the project proposals for this property and the Castle which will benefit the town. No charge but early booking recommended - email hello@culturatrust.org    

  This week there are two chances to be involved in some tree maintenance and planting sessions at Camp Farm Maryport.  Join us on Thursday 6th February or Saturday 8th February between 10am and 4pm. Working with Sue, our community engagement officer, and the lovely volunteers at People Plant Trees you can help maintain the woodland created on the farm in 2024. See the poster for more details or clink on the link:-  https://www.peopleplanttrees.co.uk/events    

our pair of illuminated sheep have continued exploring the sights and sounds of Maryport, visiting the harbour and beach areas where they looked at the new boardwalk being installed and looked at the Lowry Art Trail, as well as visiting the Aquarium.  Pupils from Maryport CE primary school also were inspired by our sheep and wrote poems on the theme of Romans and time travelling sheep!  Some of the poems are included here.   The sheep have now been delivered back to Hexham where they are rejoining the rest of the flock.  We hope you have enjoyed seeing them out and about.  

This September we are taking part in the Illuminated Sheep Arts Trail across Hadrian's Wall country.  Two sheep were collected from Hexham last Thursday and travelled across to Maryport in Sue's car, they spent a night at The Settlement and have now started their work placement at Senhouse Roman Museum where they will be meeting visitors and anyone who joins in our Heritage Open Days event this coming Saturday.  See if you can spot them out and about across the length of the wall.                    

[caption id="attachment_4701" align="alignnone" width="300"] looking a bit tired[/caption] Our small band of volunteers at the mill have been working hard bringing some of the Victorian woodworking machinery back to life and demonstrating it to curious visitors on our regular Thursday open days. Up till now, they've been using offcuts of scrap wood but they've just taken on their first little community project so the machinery will be being used on "real" wood. In the village of Thwaite in Swaledale there are two hardwood memorial benches which were donated to the village some years ago. They have been a welcome perch for foot weary walkers and many a passenger waiting for the Little White Bus which travels around the Dales but are now in need of some tender care themselves.  With the permission of the donor families, the benches have been brought to the mill and are now awaiting repair.  They've been washed and measured and we'll be using the Victorian machinery to make new planks and whatever other parts are needed to restore the benches to their former glory. Regular updates can be found on the group's facebook page https://www.facebook.com/GayleMill1784 We'll post pictures here of the benches once the renovation is complete.     Open Thursdays Between 10 and 4 Gayle Mill DL8 3RZ   What3words: opts.sending.belief

This year's National Mills Weekend will take place on 11th and 12th May 2024.  With the theme of "Enjoy your mill - get involved" this is the perfect opportunity for you to visit and learn more about our mills at Gayle, Hawes in the Yorkshire Dales and Warwick Bridge just outside Carlisle in Cumbria.  Both mills will 

be open as part of this fantastic festival of all things wind and watermill related on Sunday 12th May between 10 and 4.   

More information about mills open as part of the festival can be found on the SPAB websitehttps://www.spab.org.uk/mills/national-mills-weekend

Our volunteers at Warwick Bridge are out and about at various weekly and monthly farmers markets across the region.  You can visit them and buy some of the fantastic products baked onsite with our own stoneground flour. With a wide range of breads and other treats there's sure to be something you like. Can't get to a market?  Why not order ahead and collect from the mill on a Tuesday or Friday or visit the pop up shop at The Queens, Warwick on Eden on a Saturday morning.  Full details of markets and other outlets on the mill website https://www.warwickbridgecornmill.co.uk/products/outlets/4/18.html    

Cultura Trust’s Patron, HRH The Duke of Gloucester, has visited Hylton Castle in Sunderland, accompanied by the Trust’s President, Lord Beith, and the Lord Lieutenant of Tyne and Wear, Ms Lucy Winskell. This well-known landmark has been transformed from a gaunt benign shell into an intensively used neighbourhood centre by means of an ingenious insertion of a new building structure within its walls. It has been a long tough journey, but sometimes the long journeys are those which reap the most deeply satisfying of rewards. Cultura’s involvement was to support the local activists through the turbulent formative stages of changing mindsets and policies that this could be done within a scheduled monument, and that it was the right thing to do in the public interest. There are few if any community centres in Britain that compare to it, hence it is a showcase for Cultura’s European partners in the PRO-Heritage project about conservation and sustainability. See for yourself: https://hyltoncastle.org.uk Image: Cllr Denny Wilson, champion of Hylton Castle, provides an historical explanation to HRH The Duke of Gloucester, with Lord Lieutenant Ms Lucy Winskell and Graham Bell listening attentively.

  At the end of September, a group of enthusiastic Year 7 students and staff from Netherhall School joined staff and volunteers from Cumbria Wildlife Trust and Cultura Trust to plant wildflower plugs at Camp Farm.  You will be able to see their hard work when you take a walk along the Solway AONB Coastal Path.  The two-acre meadow will help improve bumblebee, butterfly and other insect populations and provide a vibrant and colourful view as it develops over the years. Cultura Trust has further exciting opportunities for enhancing biodiversity and exploring the archaeology around Camp Farm and at The Settlement and we hope that Netherhall students as well as other schools and community groups will join us in these activities. Please contact Sue Lister if you’d like more information about future projects and activities at The Settlement and Camp Farm. sue.lister@culturatrust.org  

People and place-making are at the heart of what Cultura is about. Our strapline 'here' means 'this place or locality' and 'we' is short for 'all or any of us'. We are all involved in shaping the places where we live. Cultura's values are about being forward-looking, environmentally-friendly and enabling. Our projects are both inclusive and collaborative.