First flax seeds planted as Silverburn aims to preserve a once thriving  mill

The project at Silverburn Park in Leven, secured over £3.5m from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, as well as funding from a range of other sources, for Fife Employment Access Trust (FEAT) to build on its work improving the popular park and to put added focus on the restoration of the B-listed former flax mill.

Once complete, it will see a bright future as a visitor centre and community hub.

Silverburn’s mill is one of the few remaining remnants of the Scottish flax industry that, in the 1800s, had nine mills operating in Fife alone, employing thousands of local people.

The restoration work will help preserve it as an important piece of industrial heritage and give it a new chapter and role in the story of the Kingdom.

Its rich industrial heritage will be retained through careful preservation and conservation works and through a programme of interpretation throughout the building.

There will also be a dedicated workshop space for processing flax and more opportunities for interested individuals and groups to get involved hands-on.

The flax mill construction programme will get underway in earnest next year, but FEAT is already delivering a wide range of activities to promote heritage and get local people involved.

Although initial planting is on a small scale, the aim is to eventually grow enough flax to see processing of the versatile crop for fabric return to the mill in the form of workshop lessons and activities.

Fiona Young, FEAT’s newly appointed activities co-ordinator, planted the first seed.

She said: “The next four years are set to be exciting for me, the local community and Silverburn.

“We have exciting plans for a really diverse activities programme including hard hat tours of the Mill, school workshops, drop-in taster sessions, trainee placements and new, co-designed trails of the park.

“We will work with a wide range of people from the Levenmouth area to ensure maximum engagement and inspire a new generation to love and care for Silverburn.”

The flax sewn at Silverburn Mill complements an allied national growing project called #flaxScotland co-ordinated by FEAT Board member, John Ennis, where a number of community gardens throughout Scotland are growing at least one square metre of flax.

Silverburn Park was originally gifted to the people of Levenmouth in 1973 by the Russell Family, with the local authority being the stewards.

After a period of lack of investment and resource, FEAT – a mental health employability charity – took over the stewardship and quickly established a range of volunteering and training programmes, as well as enterprising activities through a café and camping/glamping site.

The overall plan is for the charity to have a sustainable income for the future to manage the Park and contribute to their core work of supporting those with severe mental health conditions to prepare for, enter and sustain paid employment.

As well as FEAT’s vision for the park, the Friends of Silverburn Park group (FOSP) represents the views of local people to the board of directors and actively volunteer within a number of areas – developing the story of flax being central to that.