Help keep the sails going round

Windmill needs new leader
Can you help? After 15 years acting as co-ordinator of the local Old Buckenham Windmill Committee, Murray Curtis has decided that now is the time to step down and let somebody else take over. The current break in the windmill opening programme for 2009 provides an ideal opportunity for someone new to come in while additional safety work is done by the owners, Norfolk Windmill Trust, and new safe operating procedures are being drawn up by them.
The existing four members of the Old Buckenham committee are expecting to be available for next year and Murray has promised to assist a new chairman to achieve a smooth handover. Ideally the Committee Chairman should be someone who lives in Old Buckenham to make it easy to look in on the site from time to time and to deal with any issues that might arise.
Any member of the current committee would be very happy to explain what is involved - Gerald Norton, Alan Blakey, Pete Twissell and John Frost - all contactable in person in the village. Currently the role involves the oversight of an opening programme from April to September (six publicised open afternoons) and special openings for pre-arranged group visits from time to time. The programme is set entirely by the local committee and a new chairman might bring fresh ideas for the future. There is also an established small group of additional local helpers who have been involved since the working group was set up in 1994 and the mill opened in 1997.
The need for formal committee meetings is quite limited as most work is done informally by agreement between the committee members. The chairman is the main link with Norfolk Windmills Trust who carry the main responsibility for the mill and undertake all essential maintenance. The committee has a treasurer and produces a simple formal set of local accounts each year for submission to the Trust.
Please offer your assistance if you feel you have the ability to help keep the windmill open as a valuable historical asset to the village and for the benefit of the wider community of visitors to the village. Without an infusion of new blood it may not be possible to continue with the established opening programme.