Find me Search Help Login Sites Contact Home About us Sustainability Products Services Case studies News and media Tools & resources Tarmac grant to fund interpretation at restored cottage visitor centre Derbyshire Wildlife Trust’s historic Aqueduct Cottage has received a £21,000 donation from the Tarmac Landfill Communities Fund. The money will be used to design and install visitor information in the restored cottage, and help visitors find out about the Derwent Valley and surrounding area. The grant will also fund a viewpoint to give visitors a better sense of the woodland reserve and valley landscape and provide a significant contribution towards a new woodland sculpture trail for people to enjoy as they explore Lea Wood. Aqueduct Cottage is a Grade II listed building situated on the beautiful Cromford Canal on the edge of Lea Wood and is a key part of the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site. Florence Nightingale was known to be friends with the occupants during the time she lived at Lea Hurst, in Holloway, and visited several times. It was abandoned in 1970 and after a spell as a wayfarer’s shelter, fell into disrepair, with the collapse of the roof seemingly sealing its fate as a ruin. Over the last two years, the dilapidated building has been lovingly and carefully restored thanks to a team of volunteers who have learnt new skills alongside local craftspeople. Funding so far has helped Derbyshire Wildlife Trust to restore the walls, chimneys, and roof as well as installing a new first floor. The cottage has no vehicle access, so all materials had to be carried in and out. AQUEDUCT COTTAGE BEFORE THE RESTORATION. PHOTO CREDIT: RON COMMON Volunteers have recently learned how to apply lime mortar, and combined with their existing skills in drystone walling, the grant will support their work to turn another nearby ruin into a new compost toilet facility. Derbyshire Wildlife Trust decided to apply for funding from the Tarmac Landfill Communities Fund to complete the building’s restoration works and making it a safe and attractive visitors centre, with more information about how the environment is being managed to reduce risk of flooding, locking up carbon to help tackle climate change, as well as the wildlife that lives nearby. Aaron Laycock, quarry manager at Tarmac’s Dene Quarry, said: “We are pleased to have been able to help Derbyshire Wildlife Trust with this project and are looking forward to seeing the finished result once the restoration of the cottage is complete.” Lisa Witham, Head of Wilder Communities at Derbyshire Wildlife Trust said; “This generous funding from Tarmac helps us place the last piece of the renovation jigsaw. It’s been a momentous and very challenging couple of years but incredible to be nearly at the point when we can open the building to visitors and showcase more about this popular area.” The cottage will open for visitors and school groups, with the new information in place, from next spring. Latest News Tarmac grant to fund interpretation at restored cottage visitor centre DECEMBER 1, 2021 Tarmac hosts roundtable to inspire the next generation of sustainability leaders NOVEMBER 30, 2021 Quorn scout hut becomes hub of community after £45k donation from the Tarmac Landfill Communities Fund NOVEMBER 29, 2021 Modern building techniques sit alongside dinosaurs and medieval history at Welsh castle NOVEMBER 25, 2021 Tarmac’s award-winning photographers focus their lenses on the diverse wildlife inhabiting quarries NOVEMBER 24, 2021 Pedal-power pair have designs on healthier school commutes after winning Tarmac-sponsored bikes NOVEMBER 23, 2021 Tilehurst Panthers poised to pounce after donation from Tarmac NOVEMBER 22, 2021 Tarmac hosts interactive day for pupils as part of Northumberland National Park’s STEM festival NOVEMBER 22, 2021 Tarmac launches new ‘Guide to sustainable road building’ NOVEMBER 19, 2021 Tarmac scores a winner with shirt deal for Bayston Hill FC NOVEMBER 16, 2021 Back to top About us Careers Innovation Logistics Supply chain Health & safety Our company Our people Sustainability Products Aggregates Asphalt Blocks Building Products Cement Concrete Lime & Powders Mortar Packed Highways Pozament Sand Screed Soils Specialist Products Services Contracting Civil engineering Business partnership National Road Planing Asset management Asphalt2Go collect asphalt Collect concrete Minimix - concrete delivery Mobile concrete plants Safetydeck News & Media Latest news News Archive Media contact Video Customers & Suppliers Trucks for sale Contract hauliers CE marking Contractors database Policies & reports Modern slavery statement Tools & Resources Contact us Location Finder Help Downloads Connect Portal BIM Library Cookies policy Terms and conditions Terms of use Privacy statement Sitemap Tarmac © 2021