Helping Bring Fort Paull Back to Life

It was a busy period, with volunteers and supporters working together to prepare the fort for its first visitors.

We also helped with parking and marshalling at events, while Michaela spent time volunteering behind the bar.



It was fantastic to see so many people pulling together to support the project.

Tackling Years of Dirt, Moss and Organic Growth

As our involvement continued, we began concentrating more on the exterior cleaning and maintenance work around the fort.

After being exposed to the elements for years, many of the paths, steps, entrances and other outdoor areas had become heavily affected by moss, algae, dirt and accumulated debris.

Some areas were particularly challenging, including underground stairways and bunkers where damp conditions encouraged organic growth.



Using our professional cleaning equipment, we worked through different sections of the site, removing built-up contamination and helping improve the appearance and usability of these historic areas.

It's the sort of work that often goes unnoticed, but maintaining effective drainage is important for a historic site.



Clearing blocked drains helps reduce standing water and the potential problems associated with poor drainage, particularly around older structures.

Clearing Vegetation and Accumulated Debris

Alongside the cleaning work, we've also helped remove vegetation and accumulated debris from different areas of the fort.



With such an extensive site to maintain, keeping entrances, paths and surrounding areas clear is an ongoing task.

Although these jobs may not always produce the most dramatic before-and-after photographs, they make a valuable contribution to keeping the site accessible and manageable for the volunteers.

Returning to Help Year After Year

One thing we've learned from our involvement with Fort Paull is that restoring a site of this size isn't something that happens overnight.

There's always another area that needs attention, another job to tackle or something that requires ongoing maintenance.

During our early involvement, we were spending so much time helping at the fort that it became difficult to balance volunteering with running our own business.

Eventually, we had to take a small step back and find a more manageable balance.

Rather than committing to being there every week, we now aim to make several visits throughout the year, concentrating on areas where our equipment and experience can make the greatest difference.

And, of course, the Two Nicks know where to find us if something urgent comes up.



It's an arrangement that allows us to continue supporting the project while keeping our own business running.

Giving the Old Military Railway Carriage Some Attention

In April 2025, we returned to Fort Paull to help prepare for the Micro Maniacs Motor Show.

This time, our attention turned to the exterior of an old military railway carriage, which had previously been used as a restaurant.

The carriage had accumulated years of dirt and organic growth, with algae, lichen and other staining affecting its appearance.



We carried out a thorough exterior clean and treatment, carefully working to remove the accumulated contamination and improve its overall appearance ahead of the event.

It was particularly satisfying to see the difference our work made to such an interesting feature of the site.



For us, projects like this are about more than simply making something look cleaner. They're about helping care for the historic structures and exhibits that make places like Fort Paull so special.

Continuing the Work in 2026

Our involvement continued in March 2026, when we returned with plans to tackle some of the remaining bunkers.

These areas presented their own challenges, with damp conditions and accumulated organic growth affecting the surfaces.

We successfully completed cleaning work in two bunkers before other commitments meant we had to temporarily suspend our visits.



Although we weren't able to complete everything we had originally planned, the remaining areas are still on our list.

With a site as large as Fort Paull, there's no shortage of work to return to!

Supporting Fort Paull in Other Ways

Alongside the practical work, we've also tried to support the project in other ways.

As part of our community Good Deeds Program, we ran a fundraising campaign through our gutter-cleaning services, pledging £5 from each domestic gutter clearance and £10 from each commercial gutter clearance towards Fort Paull.

The campaign continued until January 2025.

It was another way for us to contribute to the project while carrying out our everyday work across Hull and East Yorkshire.



However, the biggest contribution we can offer is often our time, equipment and experience — helping tackle jobs that might otherwise take volunteers considerably longer to complete.

Looking Ahead

We're planning to return to Fort Paull before the Christmas market to help with preparations wherever we can.

We also intend to visit again in early 2027 to apply a preventative biocide treatment to previously cleaned areas.

This ongoing maintenance is important because, without treatment, moss and algae can gradually return, particularly in the damp and sheltered conditions found around the fort.

By treating areas we've already cleaned, we hope to help control regrowth and keep the improvements looking their best for longer.

There are also more bunkers and other areas we'd like to tackle as time allows.

A Community Effort Worth Supporting

Bringing Fort Paull back to life is an enormous undertaking, and the Two Nicks and their team deserve tremendous credit for the time, effort and determination they've invested in the project.

We're pleased to have played a small part in that journey.

From helping paint the bar and function room before the first American Car Show to clearing blocked drains, cleaning historic bunkers, pathways and the military railway carriage, our involvement has been varied, challenging and rewarding.

We're proud to continue supporting Fort Paull whenever we can, and we look forward to seeing what the future holds for this important piece of East Yorkshire's heritage.



Our work at Fort Paull forms part of Hedon Exterior Cleaning's Good Deeds Program, through which we volunteer our time, skills and equipment to support worthwhile projects in our local community.