Join us to continue help preserve and enhance an important part of Meopham’s heritage – Become a Meopham Windmill Trustee (volunteer posts).

There are three vacancies on Meopham Windmill Trust. Two vacancies are to be filled by the nomination of Meopham Parish Council for a four-year term. The remaining vacancy is to be filled by the nomination of the existing Trustees and will be a five-year term.

So, what is the Meopham Windmill Trust? In a nutshell, the Trust was established in 1969 to hold the Windmill site upon trust to preserve and develop the same as a general amenity for the benefit of the public. It is currently governed by a scheme provided by the Charity Commission in 1993. It is not registered currently with the Charity Commission and its income is insufficient for registration to be necessary. It has charitable status with HMRC for tax purposes.

The Windmill site includes the Windmill itself and currently the Trust holds a 999-year lease of this historic building. Meopham Windmill was built circa 1820. It is one of a handful of six-sided smock mills in the UK, eight being the usual number. The mill’s black smock tower stands on a brick base of two storeys. The mill stands preserved with all its milling machinery including three pairs of millstones. It is a Grade II* listed building. The freehold owner is Kent County Council (KCC) which has retained responsibility for maintaining the mill. Indeed the County Council has over the years undertaken significant works aimed at eventually restoring the mill to working order. The latest stage of these works started last autumn.

The Trust also holds the freehold of the grounds in which it stands.

The vision of the Trust is to ensure the preservation of the mill and to promote knowledge of and appreciation of the historic building in the Parish of Meopham and the wider area. One way in which the Trust intends to achieve this objective is by promoting visits to the mill once the current works are complete.

Historically there has been a close association between Meopham Parish Council and the site. Indeed, for some time the Council has had an office in the mill and full Council meetings have been held in the chamber of the mill.

The Trust has faced some significant challenges. Like many organisations, it was unable to function effectively during the Covid pandemic and lost some of its long-term team of volunteers. This was compounded by a change in Trustees early last year which led to a loss of continuity.  The Trustees currently nominated by the Parish Council and others have worked hard to restore it so that it can again be an effective organisation.

Because of safety issues associated with the Windmill and also Covid, the Windmill has not been regularly open to the public for some time. A major renovation of the Windmill funded by KCC is currently under way. Once it is completed the challenge will be to open the Windmill to the public on a regular basis again – this summer if possible.

Challenges however bring opportunities. The new Trustees will be able to help ensure the future of the mill and its surroundings for the long term. This will involve working co-operatively with KCC and Meopham Parish Council.

Thus, our Trustee recruitment goals are clear. We are looking for people passionate about preserving our heritage especially that of Meopham. Ideally, they will have local knowledge of Meopham and have a professional or business background with an understanding of managing significant assets and have a breadth of vision that will enable them to look at alternative solutions for the site. We would welcome applications from candidates willing to take on the roles of Chairman or Secretary of the Trust.

If you also have professional and/or lived knowledge or experience in one or more of the following areas that would be an added bonus:

• Administrative experience in a small charity or a locally based organisation such as a village hall or sports club
• Charitable fund-raising
• Local Government
• Law, especially Charity Law and landlord and Tenant Law
• Estate/Property Development or Management
• Sales, Marketing, and PR

We are looking for people who may be considering taking their first step in a Trustee role or may have been involved with trusteeships previously.

When considering a trustee role, it can be a tough decision to choose which great cause and organisation could best benefit from your time and knowledge. By becoming one of our Trustees, you will be contributing to the preservation and enhancement of an iconic historic building and an important part of the local environment.

To find out more go to http://meophamwindmill.uk or contact the Clerk to the Parish Council, Shaun Fishenden at clerk@meopham-pc.gov.uk who can send you a further information pack including the relevant documentation including the Trust Deed.

To apply please send your CV and a covering letter to the Parish Clerk.

The closing date for Trustee expressions of interest is 24th March 2023. Interviews will take place week commencing 11th April 2023. The interview panel will be the Personnel Committee of the Council and the existing co-opted Trustees of the Trust.