Headingley Rotary Milestones Project

The Rotary motto 'We're for Communities' made us look for something specific that we could do in our local area. Most of our members live along the A660 from Leeds, through Headingley, Adel, Bramhope, Otley and Ilkley. and after a bit of research we found that there are milestones and guide stones all along the main road and many of them are in need of maintenance and repair.

We first contacted the Bramhope & Carleton Parish Clerk. Bramhope is at western end of the A660 and is a beautiful village with a very caring Parish Council. The clerk offered to buy the approved  paint and equipment and pass on all the risk assessments and instructions. So we were off.....when the rain stopped!. A year later (!) we started on the village's six milestones, two of which were metal and four were sandstone. First they had to be cleaned so we needed something to carry water. A quick Facebook post quickly brought in the necessary container and one Monday morning five Rotarian volunteers made a start. Once dry they could be painted. The stone ones had - first the white porous emulsion and after this had dried, the black paint. A second coat was applied and then we were ready to do the sign writing in the grooves in the stone. The metal ones  had to be primed first and then the black and white metal paint applied. Finally the sign writing which has to be applied on the lettering proud of the surface.

It has been a most rewarding exercise (despite all the kneeling!) and we have been bowled over by the gratitude of residents passing by. One Rotarian commented "I've had so many thanks and car horns whilst on my knees, I feel truly humbled." Our next step is Adel, further towards Leeds and eventually we hope to finish on Woodhouse Moor, outside the University