started 2021  completion 2023

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I’ve had an idea for a village mosaic attached to the wall of the Village Hall opposite the toilets. It will have a tree made of village handmade & fired tiles with ten different leaf sizes.

Starting at the bottom probably with a reference to something in pre- history ( geology ) and then Doomsday book and as we go up the trunk and branches different historical facts about the village. The leaves can have references to place names, local names, picture transfers depicting local wildlife, inprints of flowers too. It won’t be garish, done in warm browns and soft yellow & greens.  On the border tiles I’m hoping the school pupils will be able to leave their mark by imprinting different objects or putting their initials on to the square and rectangular border tiles

It will probably take at least a couple of years to complete so I’m

asking now to see who wants to help as it's too big for me to take it on by myself and I’d like YOUR ideas on what to put on. Obviously the local history group are going to be heavily involved .

If you’re interested please give me a ring or email me.

The Village Hall has been contacted about using the wall and I’m still waiting for their approval.

FUNDING  YES  FUNDING

We might get a bit of funding from various local businesses and groups or even a grant but I'd really like the sponsor a tile idea myself.

Families or individuals could sponsor a tile of their choosing and imprint the clay with pre choices of text  …any extra monies raised after the costs would go to the School and Village hall  but I’m up for any suggestions.

Workshops could happen in the community room of the village hall.  

2000 tiles to be used on the 2m sq mosaic,

21st Century

20th Century

18th - 19th Century

1st to 17th century

Pre History to BC

What is the Pommie Plaque?

A 2m square mosaic made of 1200 handmade tiles.

Where is it going to be?

To be situated by the Village Hall

in 2023

What is it for?

It's a community project depicting the history of our village and also includes

Alport and Middleton from prehistory to the present day on the numerous coloured leaves.

How is it going to be funded?

Hopefully by locals sponsoring a tile and businesses sponsoring too.

Any surplus money will be given to the School and to the Village Hall

How can you sponsor?

An independent bank account is being set up as we speak for donations to buy materials.

Look out in the coming months for information in the Bugle and local posters

Who's doing it?

The local Children have already been imprinting the background tiles,

the rest is going to be done by a group of local volunteers and potters

Update on the Pommie Plaque

Having the idea in Nov of making a 2 metre square history mosaic for the side of the village hall to brighten up an ugly wall was the easy bit …. a lot has happened since then, even though  lockdown restrictions have made it difficult to get a group of volunteers to meet together.

2000 hand made tiles were made by several families in their own homes. Sending them in takeaway boxes  for the children. With the supervision of their parents they pressed designs into the small round and square background and border tiles. Returning them so they could  be dried and glazed in a kiln, so far over 300 have been made for this part of the project. The colours used in the glazing have been further refined .

Two small teams have been making the river / branch tiles and the leaf tiles, the latter having several failed attempts to get the wording clear enough to read … we think we have achieved the results now by switching to porcelain, rather than the architectural clay we are using for the rest of the design.

There's a long way to go, researching more historical facts about Youlgrave, Alport and Middleton with the help of the History Society, village groups and individuals . A few photos will be fused into the tiles too ( yet to be trialled )

We have now a bank account for the raising of funds and the Parish Council have started  the ball rolling with a generous donation of £200 which should pay for the clay at least .

Other sponsors and individuals gifts will be hopefully sourced during the next 18 months to pay for the rest of the project and any surplus to raise funds for the School and some for our Village Hall  .

If you would like to donate, no matter  

how small the bank details are below.

Youlgrave Village Plaque

Sort code: 60-01-33

Account number: 51246694

More details later in the year will include how to sponsor a specific tile on the mosaic, and we would like to approach businesses, hopefully the main sponsors , who can have their names embedded in a specific area on the mosaic …

good advertising for the next 100 years !

Thanks for all the enthusiasm from everyone, Phil Smith

Trunk and branches started