Saturday 8th June had a very wet morning which didn’t bode well for the planned celebrations for the windmill reopening. However, only a couple of hours before the start, the rain stopped and the sun came out – and so did the people!
Richmonds supplied a shuttle bus taking people from the village hall car park down to the windmill, where a drinks tent had been set up and nibbles were brought around. The windmill looked very fine, with bunting flying from the ends of its newly renovated sails.
Proceedings opened with an introduction by Hazel Heydon – chair of the restoration committee – who made a welcome speech with the temperamental microphone. David McKeown, the project manager said a few words too, as did Trudi Hughes from Historic England Heritage at Risk. The late Jim Brearley who had conceived the project in the first place with Jeff Gill was remembered in a speech by Jim’s son Simon before unveiling a bench in his memory.
Then the highlight of the afternoon when the windmill was formally opened by the cutting of the ribbon by Great Chishill’s Internationally famous ex resident, Sam Smith. The shuttle bus then returned to transport people back to the village hall where a splendid tea had been laid on. There was a raffle, various windmill related items on sale including a limited edition of a drawing by a young New Zealander who is a 10th generation descendent of the first Mr Andrews to own the mill! This limited edition of 100 pictures were brought from New Zealand by his grandmother, Viv McCulloch who had come especially for the event.
