ALDINGBOURNE COUNTRY CENTRE
The Aldingbourne Country Centre is based near Fontwell, Chichester in West Sussex. The Centre provides work related training in several vocational areas:-
- community links
- horticulture
- organic vegetable production
- antique furniture restoration
- wood recycling
- wood products
- catering
- Christians Car Washing
Community Links
Aldingbourne Trust has a strong belief that individuals have a place in the wider community. Opportunities to express and share skills. To help and join in with others either in a voluntary or paid capacity and celebrate achievements.
The 'Community Link' team has started some interesting projects. These are a sample of some of our activities.
Sensory garden at 'Rotherlea', Petworth
This is a residential home for older persons. This is a tiered and ongoing voluntary social outreach project.
We are now helping staff and residents of Rotherlea to build a sensory garden.
The sensory garden will be an area which will contain raised beds and walking areas which will contain flowers, shapes, colours and smells which will stimulate the senses.
Community Allotment in Chichester
'Action in Rural Sussex' through its 'Isolation Action Group' has set up a community allotment in Chichester, West Sussex. This is for the benefit of isolated elderly persons living in Chichester.
We at the Trust have joined in this project to fulfill a community inclusion objective.
With a keen knowledge of all things horticultural, the team from Aldingbourne Country Centre along with Jane and Pip from the Isolation Action Group have begun to prepare the raised beds for planting.
Pallant House Art Gallery, Chichester Outside In Project
The Aldngbourne Trust is keen to establish partnerships with business and community groups.
For a discussion and further information please contact Andrew Baker on communitylinks@aldingbournetrust.co.uk
The Horticulture group grows a wide range of spring bedding, patio and basket plants, herbaceous perennials, hardy shrubs and climbers. All are available for sale in our shop at the Country Centre. They can also provide a complete bedding, tub and hanging basket display for your business – the group have won prizes for their work.
Bedding & Patio plants Herbaceous and shrubs
For more information contact Richard on hort@aldingbournetrust.co.uk
organic produce is available, in season, from our shop.
For more information contact Jo Rea on 01243 542075 or email organics@aldingbournetrust.co.uk
Harvest time!
Growing Organically - The White Stuff
Well! What a winter so far! As I sit in the warm and write this, I can hear the rain falling on the roof of my shed (office) and there are still glimpses of the snow on the roadside that once covered our centre and ground everything to a halt for what seemed like an age over Christmas.
The joy upon first seeing huge white flakes fall from the sky was quickly forgotten when our cars started to skid and regular news bulletins scared us into staying in. But, as if from a scene from Narnia, the snow finally melted away and we could see grass once more! I’d almost forgotten what it looked like. Now we are back to muddy boots and tackling the mass winter clear up the snow delayed.
So, wrapped up still in our winter woollies, we set to and cleared the dead and dying plants in the poly tunnel. Victims of the unheated poly included our glorious fennel, broad beans, peppers that didn’t quite make it to ripening stage, watercress and our nurtured from seed avocado trees. I don’t mind everything else but to lose these would be very sad. Of course, I should have known to put them somewhere warm over Christmas, but hindsight is a wonderful thing! However, the tunnel looks vastly more healthy and tidy now so a good start to the cold year.
Our top field has been neglected for a while as it was completely covered in snow and any excavations would be futile. And it would appear that lack of ground level vegetation drew local wildlife into its perimeters where they sated their hunger on our kale, leeks and sprouts. You can’t help but be enchanted by the glorious display of footprints in the snow. The pheasant footprint is particularly impressive. The extreme cold has completely destroyed our cauliflowers, cabbages and fennel. The celeriac never did grow beyond a shaggy mop of foliage above ground and the remaining parsnips seemed to have vanished altogether. On the plus side however, once the snow finally meIted, we were delighted to see that the tiny broad beans, that were just about poking their head through the soil lat year, have survive and the soil in general is weed free and looking fantastic for when we start to sow again.
Looking forward to the year ahead we have decided to lessen our bed numbers in the top field so that we can keep on top of the vegetables that we know work well here and grow a wildflower meadow in the space instead. We want to create an enchanted area for wildlife, for the clients and for visitors to sit and stay for a while.
We currently have a small selection of grow your own seedlings available in the front glasshouse. These include strawberries, chard and thyme. We will soon have cabbage seedlings for sale too.
To pick fresh to order are: rainbow chard, thyme, mint, rocket, mustard leaves and sprouts.
We will be returning to Walberton market in March and are scheduled to start trading at Slindon market at the end of February.
For more information contact Jo on organics@aldingbournetrust.co.uk
Items of antique furniture can be restored in our workshops – we undertake repair, reviving and French polishing.
.....at work in the restoration workshop
The group has also completed repair and restoration projects in local churches – winning, for one project, a Daily Telegraph Traditional Craftsmanship award.
Recent examples of furniture we have restored
For more information contact Jim at furniture@aldingbournetrust.co.ukOur Wood Recycling group provides a commercial collection service, enabling us to sell on recycled timber through our shop.
We also take commissions for bespoke projects.
Our workshops all support our trainees to gain a better understanding about the world of work and the commercial environment. People are supported to take part in voluntary work, work experience and, where possible, move onto paid employment.
We have close links with local Colleges and courses are planned to complement the practical skills acquired at the Country Centre.
For more information contact John or Barry at wood@aldingbournetrust.co.uk
Wood Products
This new group will be making items from wood to sell in our gift shop at aldingbourne, such as bird boxes, keyrings, signs, painted chairs and pictures frames.
We would welcome any donations or contributions of craft materials such as buttons and beads, fabric and old clothes, ribbon, picture frames and mirros, card, coloured paper and anything else small and wooden etc. For more info contact Sophie on woodproducts@aldingbournetrust.co.uk
Our catering group provide snacks, meals and refreshments in the Cafe.
For more info contact Steve on cafe@aldingbournetrust.co.uk
We also have a conference room available for hire - we can provide refreshments and food to suit your requirements.
For more info contact Sue on suebaker@aldingbournetrust.co.uk
Christian’s Car Wash Company
Christian Roberts is a young man with a keen interest in cars. Christian has had responsibility for washing the Aldingbourne Trust’s minibuses and has studied car maintenance at Chichester College. With support from the Aldingbourne Trust and a start up grant from the Enham Trust, Christian has now taken the step of turning this interest into running his own business by offering a car washing service at the Aldingbourne Country Centre.
Christian takes a real pride in hand washing cars and offers the service on a Thursday and Friday at a cost of £5.00 per car. He is the first person supported by the Aldingbourne Trust to become self-employed, and is pictured here at the launch of his new venture.
Tel: 01243 542075 for further details.
Opening times:
The Country Centre is open to visitors form 10 am to 4pm each day, including weekends and Bank Holidays.
Coffee Shop patio Woodland Walk
You can find us on the A27 near Fontwell (last exit East bound before Fontwell roundabout). If you are approaching us westbound, we are the first exit to the right after the Fontwell roundabout. Free parking and accessible building and garden areas.
Woodland Walk - enjoy a stroll by the pond and through the woods.
Please call Simon Hutchins, Manager or Matthew Swanson, Deputy Manager on 01243 542075 for more information or email acc@aldingbournetrust.co.uk
Simon Hutchins Matthew Swanson
