Refurbishment project 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.