A 200-year-old woollen mill has returned to production and is turning locally sourced wool and other fleeces into yarn, in the process adding almost 5000 per cent to the value to the farmer.
Coldharbour Mill in Uffculme is using specialist textile machinery, installed through a local initiative to enable low-cost fibre processing and textile production. The machinery, working in tandem with the existing spinning machinery is powered by the recently restored water wheel.
In March, the next phase of the project will begin as new spinning machinery is installed, increasing the spinning capacity to provide a greater variety of yarn weights and effects.
The South West Combing and Spinning the Hills project was initiated by the Blackdown Hills Natural Fibre Group, and is unique to the region being the only service dealing with long wool fibres. Initially the service is available to local farmers in the Blackdown Hills catchments area but will be obtainable to farmers nationwide in the future.
Nearly 20 per cent of the £69,250 cost was met with funding from Devon Renaissance under its Sustainable Farming and Food programme. The project is working towards organic status with help from Envision and hopes to gain approval from the Soil Association by late 2008 that will confirm the whole textile process as environmentally sound.
John Arbon of the Blackdown Hills Natural Fibre Group said: "Combing & Spinning the Hills Project at Coldharbour mill has turned the clock back at this historic mill. We can now once again take in local wool and other farmed fibres such as Mohair and Alpaca and process the fibre into yarn and high quality worsted textiles, as was the case many years ago.
This is great news for local fibre producing farms as they can now realise greater profit returns for their raw fibre material and benefit from our advice and expertise in developing new exciting locally produced sustainable textiles."
Liz Abell, project co-ordinator at Devon Renaissance said "Combing and Spinning the Hills is a first class example of the type of project Devon Renaissance can assist. The project meets our objectives for sustainable development by generating employment whilst providing targeted business support and training. A lack of capital to invest in new equipment is one of the biggest problems holding back individual businesses and this project, bringing a group together to work co-operatively and providing that initial capital injection is a good example of how local innovation, entrepreneurship and grant funding can work hand in hand to deliver economic regeneration."
The project will also generate employment, provide education and training and the Mill, which previously ceased operating as a commercial Mill in 1981, will also be open to members of the public and schools for educational visits in the New Year.
Farmers wishing to get involved or find out more information on the project should contact John Arbon at the Blackdown Hills Natural Fibre group on 01598 753644.
