The 2009 dig completed excavations of all accessible areas of the Old Vicarage garden and at the end of 2009 the Mellor Heritage Project was due to come to an end. All the other activities that were planned have been carried out, but there is a little more to do on publications before we sign off. The award of £455,500 from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) was matched by financial contributions from Stockport MBC and Trust funds and overwhelmingly by in-kind volunteer contribution, which had been estimated at £270,000 in the HLF application but have amounted to at least three times that amount. The celebration conference in Stockport Town Hall testified to the success of this community heritage project.

Saturday 10th April 2010 The rearranged Origins Gallery in the Stockport Story Museum, which contains new displays of the Mellor finds, will be formally opened at 10-30am. This will be followed at 12-00 noon by the handover to the people of Stockport of the information and viewing area, which includes a bridge over the Iron Age ditch, at the entrance to the Old Vicarage site next to Mellor Church.

Still to come are a popular book, Mellor through the Ages: times of importance and times of obscurity,
A new DVD, Life on the Edge, a history of Mellor, Ludworth anfd Marple Bridge,
and the Academic Reports on the archaeology of the Old Vicarage, Shaw Cairn and Mellor Mill sites.

The great work of the groups recording the buildings of Mellor and Ludworth and of other groups finding, reviewing and indexing historical records will continue at little or no cost. What about digging? The Trust’s financial reserves are small and will allow for only limited payment for professional input, keeping in mind the need to cover excavation costs and proper evaluation and conservation of finds. However many of our volunteers now have the experience to carry out excavations on their own. Both Andy Coutts and Steve Milne now have NVQs in archaeology and four more are on their way, so a volunteer group is being set up to carry forward this activity. There are areas in the triangular field and in Peter Hodgson's field where there is more to be uncovered and we plan to dig there in the summer of 2010. Unfortunately, we will only be able to accept volunteers who have previously dug at Mellor.

The Open weeekends Days which have been so successfully held on the first weekend of September for many years will not be repeated in 2010, but we do hope to provide opportunities to view excavtions in progress.

Shaw Cairn, where the amber beads were found, has proved itself to be a site of great importance. Although some trial trenches could be dug to sample archaeology outside the cairn itself, the major project that is needed will have to wait until substantial funding can be found. Mellor Mill is also of major importance as an industrial archaeology site, which should be opened to the public. We are in discussion with HLF about an application for funds which if successful would be planned to start in 2011, although some exploratory excavations may be carried out in 2010.

The wonderful work of Marie Widger in providing school visits and community activities will be continued as part of the regular Stockport Museum activities, although Marie’s future involvement is uncertain. Since this will no longer be a Heritage Lottery Funded project, the normal Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council charges will apply.