The Volunteer Ranger Group was formed several years ago by the Park Rangers to do environmental and conservation work in the Dene. Discussions on improving the Old Mill began in Spring 2004 and a grant application made to the Local Heritage Initiative (LHI) with a separate application to English Heritage for permission to make changes to the building.

The applications took hundreds of hours of work to prepare and gain approval but in September 2005 an LHI grant was awarded.

Basic tidying up and maintenance work was needed - after years of neglect, the mill site had become badly overgrown, covered with weeds and graffiti and the security railings needed repainting.

Access improvements included resurfacing the pathway into the mill, a new guard rail, and a new security arrangement for better views into the main mill room.

Finally more information about the mill and the Ouseburn Valley has been provided - new information boards at the mill, a brochure and a scale model of the mill for display at the Visitor Centre. Wherever possible work was done by the Volunteers, although some tasks needed outside help such as fitting new security fences. The Project took about 12 months to complete, starting in November 2005.