In case you were wondering where the shutters have gone... You weren't? Well, the activity at the Mill this week is down to Steve and Tom returning to take them away to be repainted. If the weather permits they may also be able to get on with the whips and stocks too. This Sunday is the last of our regular open days for this year, as usual from 1.30 to 5.30pm.

Thank You to everyone who came along to support the Windmill Fete Yesterday, and a big thanks too to our volunteers who helped out on the day.

Fete Today! The weather is going to be kind this year... even quite warm! Refreshments will be available on the Rec and by the Windmill. The usual attractions will be found next to the Mill, where you'll also be able to get your 'Hand Stamp' for the extra fun we've provided on the Rec and the Barrel Train Ride running between the two. The Windmill will be open for tours too, so if you've never had a look inside this is your chance!

Late fete news. We have just heard that we will now have a display of dinosaurs at the fete! This will be presented by the 'Travelling Natural History Museum'. For a small donation children can have their photographs taken beside (or if you speak nicely to the organiser - perhaps even seated on!) a dinosaur. As the day draws closer, the weather forecast for the weekend are looking good so we hope to see lots of you there to have a great afternoon and to support the windmill while doing so.

At the Fete on Bank Holiday Monday The Fire Station is hoping to bring its Fire Engine onto the Rec' and show it to visitors and we also hope to see the village Fire Pump on display too. The Pump is in long term storage and doesn't often get a run out, so it will be a rare sight if you can make it to the Fete on monday. It may well also be on view at the Fire Station's open day on 2nd September, as I think they're hanging on to it for a short while.

The Windmill Fete is not far off now... come and join us from 1pm on Bank Holiday Monday. We have many of our usual attractions at the Windmill and for this year only have expanded onto the Recreation Ground, adding some 'inflatables'... that's bouncy castles, bungee run and assault course... and a BEAM gaming projector. A £3 hand stamp allows you to try these as many times as you like as well as take a ride on our 'Barrel Train', running between the Windmill and the Rec', and includes face painting too! You can get your hand stamped at the Windmill. Refreshments will be available by the Mill as usual and in the form of a BBQ on the Rec'. Most visitors to the Fete will walk, but if you do drive into Stansted, please use the car parks at Crafton Green or Lower Street.

A short film about the windmill is in production... Stansted residents and JFAN students Merlin Owen and Jacob Lee have volunteered to create an educational video as part of their NCS course this summer. Many groups visit the Windmill every year, from cub scouts to the U3A, but not all manage to climb the ladders to the cap, so we hope the film will give everyone a chance to see what's up there and provide some insight into how it all works.

Thank you to all those who visited the Windmill yesterday for some afternoon tea and a look around. August 6th is the next regular Sunday afternnon opening. 1.30 - 5.30pm as usual.

The decorators, both internal and external, have come and gone.... The sails, stocks and shutters will not be painted until September but the rest is pretty much completed. Lime washing of the interior walls by Messrs Wilks was done in just over a week and Tim Whiting is just finishing off some of the exterior woodwork. As the shutters will still be in situ over the Bank Holiday weekend we should be able to put them to use during the Fete.... given some wind. :)

Tomorrow, Monday 3rd July, the work starts at the windmill. We have been waiting for about three years for the outside woodwork to be painted and tomorrow it's 'Lights, Camera, ACTION!'. The work will take several weeks to complete - very likely running into August and will, of course, be greatly dependent on the weather. They will also be re-pointing the brickwork where necessary. As luck would have it, just like when you wait for ages for a bus and then two come along at the same time, also starting tomorrow is a different contractor who will be repairing some of the interior plaster work and applying several coats of limewash on all the internal walls. If you live locally to the mill and wonder what is happening, that's what it's all about, folks! So, in a few weeks time and certainly, we hope, before the fete on August Bank Holiday Monday (28th), all the external paintwork and the inside plaster will be sparkling white - dazzling even! We will post a few photos of work in progress in due course.

Sunday July 2nd is the next open day at the usual time of 1.30 - 5.30pm. The next event is an Afternoon Tea at the Mill hosted by the Millers on Wednesday 26th July from 2pm. Cream tea, or a drink and a cake for £2.50 The 28th August may seem far away, but preparations are well underway for our annual village occasion that is the Windmill Fete . Please keep a space free in your Bank Holiday Monday schedule and join us to enjoy all the usual attractions, this year enhanced by some added children's activities on the Rec. The Fete wlll open an hour earlier and so run from 1pm to 5pm. The pre fete meeting takes place at the Mill on Tuesday 11th July at 7.30pm where arrangements will be finalised. If you'd like to help out, have an burning desire to run a stall, or are just curious, please come along. Maintenance.... is happening during July. Internal and external painting! More on this soon. :)