Current Projects

Pleasure Gardens

This project involves physical restoration, habitat creation and an education project based in the Edwardian Pleasure Gardens area of the park. The project started in the summer of 2011 and will continue into the following spring.

 

Restoration - The project centres on the restoration of the Edwardian Pleasure Gardens at Gatton Park, a key area of the park which will link together other restored spaces to provide year-round access to the major features of the estate. The Pleasure Gardens originally comprised landscaped groups of specimen trees and lawns with meandering footpaths. We are working to reinstate a number of the paths and remove the encroaching vegetation to reveal existing specimen trees. At the same time the grassland areas are being restored establishing wildflower meadows between the paths. Some new specimen trees will also be planted.

 

Crucially, the new paths will enable disabled visitors to access parts of the parkland which are currently particularly difficult to reach.

 

Education & family activities - We used the restoration work as an opportunity to run a unique project with a number of local groups supporting disadvantaged children and their families providing them with ten days of family learning activities during the 2011summer holidays. Under the guidance of our experienced staff and volunteers they explored the natural history and landscape.

 

Included amongst these groups were young carers and children who have suffered domestic abuse who might not have opportunities for family learning; With assistance from their support groups we were able to give them a great day out which included opportunities for family learning.

 

The project is supported by Lottery Awards for All, Community Foundation for Surrey and Hamamelis Trust.

Parterre Restoration Project 2010/12

This project running until December 2012, has two key aims, firstly to restore the Victorian parterre to its former glory and secondly to improve our volunteering and community engagement.

 

The first phase of this project involved the removal of the existing tennis courts, the reinstatement of the Victorian parterre layout and the restoration of the urns that run along the southern edge. The transformation to the area has been spectacular, creating a beautiful space and opening up the views across the park.

 

Our Volunteer and Community Project Officer has made a big difference to the number of volunteers and to the quality of their experience with us. She has allowed increased access to the park by groups such as the elderly and people with disabilities.

 

If you would like to get involved in the parterre restoration project please do get in touch. For more information on volunteering opportunities contact the Volunteer and Community Project Officer.

 

There are a number of different ways you can access the restored Parterre, see our visiting Gatton Park and events pages for more details.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nature Tots

Through the summer holidays of 2011 we ran 12 sessions (6 days with two repeated sessions on each day) for children aged 2 – 4 years old. The aim of these activities was to introduce nature to young children and to have lots of fun outdoors – encouraging them to continue to take an interest as they grow older. We also wanted to provide parents with information and ideas to continue to involve their children in learning about wildlife.

 

Each activity had a wildlife theme. The children took part in an art activity and a walk to find out more about the animals, wherever possible involving observing animals and plants. At the end of the session the parents could take away a pack of information with other activities and information about organisations that protect wildlife.

 

The project was supported by The Cobb Charity and run in partnership with Stepping Stones Children's Centre for Earlswood and Reigate.