As I wrote last time I was keeping my fingers crossed for decent weather for the "May event", but I could hardly have dared hope that the weather would end up being as fantastic as it actually was! Over the last couple of years we have endured decidedly wet weather for our big weekend, despite which people have still turned out in their thousands and a real spirit of "making the best of it" has pervaded, but what a wonderful difference a bit of sunshine made to the event this year!

I was "on duty" on both days but on one of my breaks I decided to make my way across the main event field for a ride on the Big Wheel. My friend and I climbed aboard and slowly we reached the top as one by one the cars were loaded with excited passengers and then we were off! The view from the top was incredible. Everywhere I looked there were crowds of people, colourful rides, grand marquis and flags flying. In the distance I could see the mighty steam engines chugging away and crowds of people several deep were lining the main arena – I couldn’t quite see which of the attractions was in full swing but what ever it was it was clearly a crowd pleaser! To our left the fabulous old Steam Yacht’s and Gallopers from the Saunders Collection were busy thrilling their passengers as they have done for so many years. Further off there were squeals of delight as yet another well-aimed ball took its toll at the China Smash. Right below us children waved and cheered, ice creams in hand, as the great wheel sped round. Off to the right we could hear the roar of motorbikes from the spectacular "Wall of Death" which was back by popular demand! Further to the right cars sparkled in the sun light in the main car park and still the people queued to cross the temporary bridge into the event. An amazing figure of more than eight thousand people attended the show this year! And at the far end of the meadow stood the Mill looking more beautiful than ever, bedecked in flags and bathed in the glorious sunshine. What a sight! And that was just Bury Meadow - I could barely see the tops of the marquis and tents in the other main event field which I knew was just as packed with people enjoying amongst other things the craft stalls, the model engineering display and the clay shoot.

But what of the star of the show itself, the Mill? Well once again Number Two set of stones performed fantastically throughout the weekend producing sack after sack of flour, and up on the dressing floor the historic sieving machine (the "boulter") whose restoration we had just completed also ran without a hitch. As fast as the team could mill it the flour was sieved, bagged, on the shelf and sold – indeed almost £500’s worth of flour was sold over the weekend! And for the very first time the newly completed sack hoist was put to work lifting sacks of grain into the Mill from a magnificent Foden Steam Lorry parked below. If old Sam was still with us he might have thought he’d gone back in time! Also in the Mill, Randal’s Tea Room was doing a roaring trade – its best weekend ever I believe! The new Kingfisher Shop enjoyed an excellent weekend too.

As always there were a huge number of people involved in planning, organising and running the event and it would be impossible to thank them all separately, but on behalf of the Trust I’d like to say a huge thank you to every one involved and to all the Mill’s neighbours for their patience and cooperation throughout the event. I’d also like to congratulate the Events Team on another fantastic event!