Refurbishment prodject 2000/2001 The Wellow Toftholders and Owners Association  look after the routine maintenance of Wellow Dam,  with the cooperation and help of the Thoresby  Colliery Angling Club, who have been fishing the  waters since 1977; the fishing club take care of the  restocking, and the repair of the fishing platforms,  as well as other tasks around the bank. The rental  they pay helps towards the overall routine  maintenance of the common land.  In 2000, a problem was identified - of erosion on a  section of dam bank - which was beyond the limited  resources of the Toftholders; it needed an  expensive repair, preferably by traditional methods, in keeping with the history of the dam.   Enquiries led the Toftholders to the ‘Local Hertage initative’ a national grant scheme helping  local groups to investigate, explain, and care for their landscape, traditions, and culture. LHI  was developed by the Countryside Agency, and is funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, and  the Nationwide Building Society.   With the help of a grant from LHI, who provided  92% of the cash cost, and with the input of  volunteer labour from Toftholders and fishing club  members, plus donated materials (all this  amounting to around 35% value to the total cost of  the project), the work was completed in August  2001. The bank was repaired - the task fell to a  Somerset company called Willowbank, who were  well - known for their skills in the repair of river and  pond banks, and who use traditional willow-weaving  methods;the fishing club backfilled the repair as  necessary. A general tidying of the immediately  surrounding area, refurbishment of signage, and  improvement to roadways was also incorporated in the plan, and a booklet with information  both about the dam and its place in the history of the village, was delivered free to each home  in Wellow as part of the Toftholders, contribution to their part of the project. Finally the  Toftholders, in consultation with the fishing club, formulated a ten - year plan to ensure that the  care of this valuable part of the history of Wellow continues. The project was completed on  time.   Webmaster