The Trust was successful in their application to the M&S Community Energy Fund for a chance to receive funding to complete a ‘Green Energy’ project. The project is to use a 1950s Ruston Hornsby engine running on recycled chip oil to power a set of millstones that currently run on mains power to produce flour on days when the wind doesn’t blow. Money saved when running the electrically driven millstones will allow the charity to invest in community participation, widening the Trusts public engagement across its core themes– science, heritage, environment, art and maths.
Unfortunately, the Trust didn’t receive enough votes and so were unsuccessful in their bid to raise the required money through the scheme. However, £163 was raised from crowdfunding which was facilitated by M&S. Then, very generously, Nottingham Civic Society agreed to grant £2,500 to the Trust to complete the project. Ian Wells and Hilary Silvester of the Nottingham Civic Society presented a cheque to staff and trustees at the mill on 21st December. This is the latest of many donations that the Civic Society have made to Green’s Mill over the past 40 years or so.
Even though raising money through the M&S scheme was unsuccessful, the awareness raised for the project has been invaluable. As well as eventually raising the money through different avenues, large quantities of recycled chip oil have been sourced, positive media coverage has been gained and a web-hosting organisation, themselves powered by green energy, have kindly agreed to design and host the our website and email for free. Work will now begin to complete the engine project, with a launch date pencilled in for Easter. Plaques to commemorate donors and the Civic Society will also be unveiled at that time.