Restoration of Skidby Mill proving a 'real saga'
Extensive work is needed on a historical windmill before its sails can be reinstated, a council has said.
The sails at the Grade II listed Skidby Mill, near Cottingham in East Yorkshire, were removed in 2020 after wet rot was discovered in the oldest sails.
East Riding of Yorkshire Council approved restoration plans in November 2023 but has said the mill's support beam and the structure that houses the sails, known as the cap, also needed restoring.
Councillor Richard Meredith said the project had been a "real saga from beginning to end" but said the work was due to be carried out this summer.
A council spokesperson added: "Skidby Mill requires a lot of maintenance.
"Warm, wet and windy weather has meant that the site is facing more adverse weather conditions than ever before, therefore damp and mould are continuously affecting the mill's structure."
Meredith said it had also been a "herculean task" to find a new company to take on the job after the original firm requested by the council closed down during Covid.
"When you need expertise, when you need specialist material and equipment, when you need to attract funding, it's like trying to do a jigsaw puzzle inside a Rubik's cube. It's a very difficult journey," he added.
Built in 1821, the mill was created to harness the power of the wind but natural elements have weathered its structure.
It is approximately 58ft (17.7m) high and residents said it was a focal point for the community.
"Everybody in East Yorkshire knows Skidby Mill is here. It was grinding corn up until the 1960s," local businessman Peter Fenwick said.
"On a good day, I can see the mill from my bedroom window. It's a tourist attraction," added James Tunnicliffe, who often visits the coffee shop adjacent to the mill with his wife.
"It's quite sad and disheartening to see they've (sails) just been left here."
The four carefully crafted sails are stacked on top of each other against a brick wall surrounded by wire fencing at the mill.
Ann Griffiths, who has lived in Skidby for almost 30 years and regularly attends the council's public meetings, said the village was disappointed with the length of time it was taking.
She said: "You come in from Little Weighton over the hill and it's the first thing you see. Now there's nothing."
Meredith said he hoped the work would be completed soon.
"The hope is that by the end of summer the cap will be repaired and the sails will be installed," he explained.
"That's the hope and I'm one of those without a crystal ball."
Listen to highlights from Hull and East Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here.
Sails to be restored to 'last workable' windmill
Historic windmill to close for restoration
East Riding of Yorkshire Council
Skidby Mill

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Yahoo
New home for one of port's last deep-sea trawlers
A new home for one of a port's last surviving deep-sea trawlers is expected to open to visitors next year. The visitor centre at North End Shipyard in Hull, which is part of a major regeneration project, will host Arctic Corsair. With views along the River Hull, the venue will provide a space to explore the area's maritime history and include a learning space for schools. Mike Ross, leader of Hull City Council, said: "This new visitor centre is not only a place to explore Hull's maritime past – it's a vision for the future." Built in 1960, Arctic Corsair was involved in the Cod Wars with Iceland in the 1970s and rammed an Icelandic gunboat during the dispute. The ship, which has been restored, will be the star exhibit at the new maritime museum after it sets sail to the North End Shipyard and is berthed in the dry dock. Visitors to the building, which is funded by the local authority and the National Lottery Heritage Fund, will be able to learn about the life of a trawlerman, with first-hand stories from former crew members. Gillian Osgerby, the council's interim assistant director for major projects and infrastructure, said: "The story shouts about what makes Hull really special." A restored Scotch Derrick crane, which is a survivor of the River Hull shipbuilding that ended in the 1990s, will also return to the site later this year. The council said the new two-storey facility would be one of the most energy-efficient cultural buildings in the UK. Listen to highlights from Hull and East Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here. Crane repair part of city's maritime history Cod Wars weapon presented to museum Cod War captains meet for first time since clash Hull City Council

Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
SDPB promoting free educational resources for parents, educators, caregivers
Jun. 10—MITCHELL — As home to longtime programming content like Sesame Street, South Dakota Public Broadcasting and its fellow public broadcasting outlets in other states are known for educational programming, along with other cultural, information and news offerings. But there is more than just that available at SDPB. That was the message staffers and supporters of South Dakota Public Broadcasting were sharing Friday evening in Mitchell. They had set up a booth near the Corn Palace to talk with the public about programming the organization has available, particularly when it comes to early childhood development and educational resources. "One of our core mission objectives is ensuring that every child in South Dakota enters kindergarten ready for school and ready for life and is supported and informed by engaged parents and professional educators and caregivers," Julie Overgaard, executive director for South Dakota Public Broadcasting, told the Mitchell Republic. "Our job isn't to take the place of any of that caregiving. It's to provide useful, high-quality, set-to-state standards educational resources that are free for anybody to use." Overgaard was referring to a slew of online educational and professional development materials available for anyone to use for free online through the SDPB website. Those resources include PBS Kids videos, interactive games, early learning resources such as activities, lessons and articles along with outreach and professional development information. It's all available at and Overgaard and her fellow SDPB officials are hoping South Dakotans take advantage. The programming is geared for year-round learning but the free, online nature makes it available for use at any time or any season. SDPB is focusing its outreach on teachers, parents and other professionals such as daycare providers. The offerings found their footing in the late 2010s, particularly in the leadup to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was then that interest in the educational programs took off when young children were suddenly home from school due to worries about the virus. Combined with general funding issues associated with education, the SDPB programs grew into a valued repository of learning tools. "(The pandemic) just had an outsized impact on our efforts in this area that none of us saw coming. Since then, we've been really successful and our major donors and other people around the state are really feeling that this is an important topic area that maybe doesn't get the funding and attention it deserves," Overgaard said. The materials provide a great source of educational activities, but there are also resources related to professional development. Overgaard said SDPB holds professional development workshops at daycare centers, Head Starts and school-associated preschools on how they can use the free materials to support their curriculums. The programming is designed to meet South Dakota early learning guidelines, she said. Other outreach takes place at public libraries to encourage student interest in reading, as well working in the summer with teachers to help them with continuing education or professional development credits. "We go to a lot of education conferences and meet the teachers where they're at and just keep trying to get the world out about what we have to offer them," Overgaard said. She said that over 100,000 children a month access the available online programs. When added to other programming offered by SDPB, that comes in closer to 750,000 children a month. The resources have been especially utilized by homeschooling families, who Overgaard said are always on the lookout for supportive materials. A recent stop at a homeschooling conference was well-attended and well-received, she said. Kara Brodsky, brand and marketing manager for SDPB, was at the organization's booth on Friday in Mitchell, speaking with members of the public next to a large cutout of Sesame Street star Elmo. Conversations ranged from topic to topic, but getting the word out about the educational materials was paramount. "(It's for) parents, for sure, but also teachers," Brodsky said. "We're here to support parents and teachers with the resources they might need. We fill in the blanks a little bit with some of the things that we can help with. So teachers, caregivers, anybody who is reaching those preschoolers, that early childhood development, is really important." Conveying the value of the resources that SDPB has available is important right now, Overgaard said. There has been concern about potential funding cuts to public broadcasting at the federal level, and Overgaard and other SDPB officials have been lobbying South Dakota leaders such as Rep. Dusty Johnson, Sen. Mike Rounds and Sen. John Thune about the importance of that funding to various programs. The cuts target perceived bias at the national level, such as National Public Radio and programming like PBS NewsHour, All Things Considered and Morning Edition, Overgaard said. But such cuts could hurt more localized programming, as well. "I'm very, very concerned about it. Federal funding flows through the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which has been targeted for elimination in a rescission of prior authorized funding. The talk is that it's all about biased programming at the national level," Overgaard said. "What most people don't understand is that the money that's being rescinded or threatened for elimination — the vast, vast majority of those dollars are funneled to local public broadcasting stations across the country like SDPB. So the cut will have an outsized impact on rural networks and rural stations if it goes through." As officials with SDPB monitor the funding situation, they are also celebrating more accessibility to their product in the Mitchell area. The organization recently launched a new full-power radio station, 89.1 FM, near Mitchell. The tower has been in the works for nearly a decade, with Overgaard saying that another full-power radio station in the area overpowered the old low-powered SDPB transmitter and "blew us off the air." Listeners should be able to pull in the new transmission easily, she said. "Now we have a good quality signal into Mitchell that extends all the way down south of Parkston, covering a much larger geography. We've really solidified our coverage in that area," Overgaard said. The new signal is a boost for SDPB, Overgaard said, but the free educational materials are available anywhere, anytime for anyone who has access to an internet connection. In times when funding for education can be limited, any and all quality resources become valuable for parents and professionals alike who want to support their kids the best they can. The invitation to use those materials is always open, she said. "The state and the legislature have had difficulty coming to agreement and funding for early childhood education initiatives. So as with other things in the state, you sometimes have to figure out the best way to do it yourselves," Overgaard said. More information on the educational resources available through SDPB can be found at
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
With schools out, childhood hunger increases
NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) – With students starting to get out of school for the summer, hunger will start to rise. Food banks across the area start to see an increase in families needing help when the school year ends. Some children rely on the school breakfast and lunch, and over the summer they may miss a meal. The Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia says it starts working in January to fill the gap they start to see in the warmer months. The Foodbank says one in four children in the area will be hungry during the summer months. Adding it has seen a 30% increase since COVID and longer lines as new families show up each time. 'When you see a reduction in those federal benefits, the gap still needs to be filled by somebody. And our neighbors are going to look at us. As you know, the, you know, preeminent organization in the area of tackling food insecurity. So we're definitely hearing and seeing an increase in people that have never had to come to the foodbank before are now showing up for the first time ever,' said Jeremy Rodden, Community Engagement Manager. Hunger Heroes aims to help feed families during the busy summer months The Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia has programs throughout the summer, like Hunger Heroes, that is created to combat summer hunger. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.