Cumbrian Wool Professional Puts Passion Into Home Project
Thermafleece packs before installation
They say that home is where the heart is. This is certainly true for one Eden Valley resident who has turned her passion for wool into a home improvement project.
Cecilia Hewett, a life-long resident of Johnby near Penrith, has always been passionate about wool. She is a member of The Wool Clip, the much respected co-operative of farmers and textile craft workers, and is one of the organisers of the annual Woolfest event in Cockermouth, so is certainly keen to promote the benefits of this particular natural fibre.
“The Wool Clip shop is a focus for selling all sorts of woollen products,” said Cecilia, “and also for encouraging other people to try wool crafts for themselves with kits, materials and advice on equipment. Members of the co-operative have organised Woolfest for the past five years and it now attracts over 4,000 visitors each June to a national celebration of wool and all natural fibres.”
Now, Cecilia is using this interest to benefit another passion of hers, Johnby Bank, her beautiful 18th century farmhouse.
Using Thermafleece, an insulation product from Cumbrian firm Second Nature made from British sheep’s wool, Cecilia and her husband Graham have given Johnby Bank a much needed energy makeover as part of ongoing renovation work.
The first place to benefit from some wool-based warmth is the cottage conservatory. The room, which features a dramatic glazed gable, is mainly used as a spinning workshop. Here Cecilia produces a variety of hand-spun yarns, many of which then are sold in The Wool Clip’s shop in Caldbeck, alongside a large range of locally produced clothing, accessories, floor rugs, throws and handmade cushions, made by the other co-operative members.
Cecilia said: “I spend a great deal of time working with wool in this room so I thought it was incredibly fitting to use wool to insulate it too!”
But the conservatory isn’t the only area to benefit from Thermafleece. Cecilia and her husband are also in the process of converting one of the derelict barns attached to the main cottage, using the space to create new bedrooms, a bathroom, living areas and a future wool workshop.
Once again, Cecilia felt it was a fitting tribute to the agricultural heritage of the site to use Thermafleece insulation to make it more energy efficient. She said: “We’ve used Thermafleece in the walls and pitched roof in the barn, not only to keep the building warm but also to make it more energy efficient. We also liked the idea of using Thermafleece here as, because it is made from sheep’s wool, it helps to control humidity levels. This will be particularly beneficial for maintaining optimal conditions for my wool.”
In keeping with their desire to be as ecological as possible, the Hewetts have also used other key products to give life to their barn conversion. As well as re-using stone from a derelict sheep house as part of the build, the couple have also installed solar panels for hot water and a biomass boiler to heat the property.
Reflecting on her decision to use a wool-based insulation material, Cecilia concluded: “I spend a great deal of time telling people what a great material wool is and promoting its use wherever I can. I am a particularly passionate advocate for products and crafts that use fleeces normally overlooked for more commercial applications. By using the wool of hill breeds such as Herdwick sheep, Thermafleece does precisely this and I couldn’t think of a better material to use to insulate my home.”
To find out more about the Johnby Bank renovation project, why not visit the blog which contains details on progress and products used – www.johnbyhall.co.uk/jb.
For more information on Thermafleece or Second Nature, please visit www.secondnatureuk.com or call 017684 86285.
For more information on Woolfest or The Wool Clip, please visit www.woolclip.com or www.woolfest.co.uk, or alternatively call 016974 78707. 
Installed Thermafleece
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