An Anglesey woman went above and beyond to thwart plans of converting a cherished village building into a holiday rental. Fundraiser Di Mills endured 24 hours on an uninhabited islet off the coast of Anglesey , insisting she'd decline a £10,000 offer to endure the ordeal again. Visibly shaken by the experience, Di tearfully shared details of her night in a video, describing gale winds, rain, and "seagulls like dinosaurs" on the deserted island.
The yoga teacher from Rhosybol, staged the daring act to fundraise for Porth Llechog (Bull Bay) boat house near Amlwch, a historic RNLI lifeboat house established in 1867. The boathouse has facilitated 41 rescues, saving 63 lives but now risks being stripped of its community ownership. Fearing it falling into the hands of property developers, campaigners need to raise £80,000 to acquire the building.
After an initial postponement, Di finally set foot on East Mouse this week, a barren 1.5-acre rocky islet lacking vegetation located several hundred metres away from Amlwch (its Welsh name is Ynys Amlwch), reports North Wales Live . For the latest Welsh news delivered to your inbox sign up to our newsletter .
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A tent wouldn't have been much help anyway she said, "there's only one flat bit on the rock where you can sit," she said. It's like slices all over the islet, there's nowhere comfortable to sit." Despite her lights being visible at night from Amlwch, Di was very much alone on the islet apart from the screeching gulls.
Wind and rain made for a less-than-comfortable night but the weather was far from the worst part. "The island is actually covered in poo," she said. "The smell was unbelievable.
" After 24 hours on the rock, she returned to a hero's welcome. At Porth Llechog, members of the Trireme Ynys Mon Rowing Club formed a shoreline guard of honour with their oars. Waiting to greet her was the only person who knew exactly the miseries Di had endured.
Doreen Glennard, some 41 years ago, became the original East Mouse castaway when she spent 24 hours on the islet to raise funds for boathouse repairs. "This was obviously before mobile phones," Wendy Steele, a member of the boathouse appeal committee, said. "She really was all alone, apart from the ship-to-shore radio she was given for emergencies only.
" A total of £100,000 is needed to purchase and renovate the old boathouse, and an anonymous benefactor has agreed to loan the money up front. The sale could be completed later this month, after which campaigners will have a year to find money to repay the loan. A total of £100,000 is needed to buy and renovate the old boathouse and an anonymous benefactor has agreed to loan the money up front.
Sale completion is possible later this month, after which campaigners will have a year to find money to repay the loan. Amlwch Town Council has already given the appeal £20,000 to ensure it remains a community asset, leaving appeal organisers to find the rest. They've been at it for six months already.
“We wanted to have a running start,” said Wendy. “The worry is that the developers will step in to buy the boathouse, do it up and sell it on as a holiday home for a vast profit for someone to stay there just a few weeks each year. It’s one of the last original lifeboat houses on the island and it’s been part of the community for more than 150 years, and we want to keep it that way.
If we’re successful, it will be the last building in Bull Bay not in private ownership.” For the past two decades, the building has been relegated to storing boats and housing the rowing club's gear. Locals are eager to see the structure restored to its original glory.
“It’s been rendered, which looks awful,” said Wendy. “Most people in the village have never seen inside it but old photos show the interior as timber-clad – it was absolutely beautiful. “It’s a lot bigger inside than it looks from the outside, so we’re aiming to establish it as a community hub.
Everyone wants a cafe there but we’d also like to use the space for food fairs, craft events, Welsh classes and so on. We may even be able to put in a mezzanine level.” More details about the appeal, and how to donate, can be found here.
At a community meeting today (September 9), the amount collected by Di’s “Mermaid on the Mouse” stunt will be revealed. Would she do it again? “I’m happy that I achieved it," she said. "But if someone offered me £10,000 to do another night, I wouldn’t do it.
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