To ensure our long-term future, and to ensure that our vital community work continues to thrive, we are building a vibrant Community & Creative Campus. This £6.4m redevelopment project will open up hidden areas of the gardens, helping to secure the charity’s future by deepening our community connections, expanding our capacity to support those who need us most and creating welcoming new spaces for everyone to enjoy.
You can make a donation to the Campus here.
Or get in touch with Sue Sandle, Head of Development, to discuss how you would like to support this exciting project.
Why we need your support
The work we do here matters.
Every year, our partnerships with local groups and schools deepen as we create projects together around horticulture and creativity that boost wellbeing, mental health, and confidence. We need to do more, but we can’t because our current facilities just aren’t big enough or good enough to reach more of the people that need us.
We also need to do more to ensure that the gardens and the House survive and thrive for another 300 years. As a charity, we must raise 75% of our income: that’s £1million+ of crucial funding that gets tougher to find every year.
The Kitchen Garden is a growing space: a vital community hub and a productive haven. Intensive consultation and planning, combined with recent experience, reveals that the work here provides real answers for our future.
What is the Community & Creative Campus?
The Community & Creative Campus will be centred around the tranquility and beauty of the Kitchen Garden. Refurbished historic sheds and stables will house artist/makers across nineteen studios in the Creative Campus. Meanwhile, new buildings and a rescued 17th century walled garden will provide a home for our expanding Schools Programme, enable us to welcome twice as many partners to our community programme and provide inspiring new spaces to hire for celebrations and events.
How much have we raised so far?
We’ve already secured £4.6 million, over 70% of the £6.4 million that we need. Work began on the studios in January this year and was completed in May, on time and on budget, ready for the first cohort of artists/makers to move in this summer.
We now have £1.8 million left to raise and our deadline is October this year, so we can build the Learning Hub, ready to launch our full Schools Programme in September 2026. Our goal is to raise at least a third of this with the help of our wonderful community of regular visitors and supporters.
To achieve these ambitions we need your support
We invite you to join us in this vital and exciting venture, and play your part in ensuring these beautiful spaces thrive for future generations.
You can make a donation to the Campus here.
Or get in touch with Sue Sandle, Head of Development, to discuss how you would like to support this exciting project.
Latest news and developments
Keep up to date with our latest Community & Creative Campus news below:
