Aldingbourne News
Stay up to date with the latest news from the Aldingbourne Trust
 At Fontwell Racecourse on Friday, the 17th of November, Aldingbourne Country Centre was honoured with The Sussex by the Sea Tourism Award, courtesy of Arun Business Partnership and supported by Arun District Council.
Over the years, we have established quite a track record of triumphs in various categories at the ABP awards. Previous victories include Employee/Team of the Year, Business Marketing and Promotion, Training & Development, and Business in the Community, to name a few. But this latest celebration adds a new shield to our collection. "Winning the Tourism Award in the same year that we achieved Visit England Quality Visitor Attraction status feels amazing, and the huge smiles on the faces of the people we support, our clients, who collected the award says it all. All colleagues, clients and volunteers have worked super hard to ensure all our visitors and valued members have a #greatdayout and hopefully feel the magic of making a difference by visiting, so this award is a recognition of that and our contribution to the Arun District Visitor Economy." shared Karen Tyrell, Visitor & Enterprise Operations Manager at Aldingbourne Country Centre. This award is a shared victory, thanks to our teams and the community's support. We're eager to keep making a difference through unforgettable experiences, so on your next 'Great Day Out' at the Country Centre, don't forget to take a look at our new Winners Shield and gleaming glass trophy. Written by Lizzie Williams. For media inquiries, please get in touch with lizziew@aldingbourne.org  The 13th of November marked a milestone for Aldingbourne Country Centre as we proudly launched our Farm Development and Farm Educational Programme. The event, graced by the Mayor of Chichester, local businesses, farmers, and agricultural enthusiasts, was a celebration of our vision for the future.
In 2018, the Quarry Building at our Country Centre became the central hub of our site, hosting our shop, cafe, and conference facilities—all run as social enterprises. Now, with over 70,000 visitors this year, we're thrilled to announce the next phase: the development of our Open Farm. Our plans include exciting new facilities like a Deer Park, Bird Aviary, Cherry Tree Farm, and a groundbreaking Educational Project. These additions will not only enhance our offerings but also create more opportunities for training and employment for adults with learning disabilities and autism. We were honoured to have Robin Hobson as the keynote speaker, sharing insights into the importance of community involvement in projects like ours. John Pitts graciously welcomed guests and introduced other key figures, including Sue Livett, James, and Karen Tyrell. "It was brilliant to launch this new development for the Aldingbourne Country Centre. We are so grateful to everyone who came and showed such interest in supporting the project." said Abigail Rowe, Head of Fundraising at Aldingbourne Trust. A cheque of £6,443 was presented to the Country Centre by Chets Modi on behalf of the NFU Mutual charitable trust towards education. We are immensely thankful for this donation towards our future plans. Written by Lizzie Williams. For media inquiries, please get in touch at lizziew@aldingbourne.org  The Friends of Aldingbourne Trust, a separate charity supporting the Aldingbourne Trust, is thrilled to announce it has been awarded a grant of £900 from The David Hunt Trust. This generous contribution is earmarked to sponsor Christmas meals for up to 30 people we support.
The awards ceremony, held at the Ham Manor Golf Club in Angmering on the 22nd of November, was a heartwarming celebration. The David Hunt Trust, founded in 2009 by businessman David Hunt, has been a consistent benefactor to local good causes and charities. David Hunt, a former furniture business owner who relocated to East Preston over 20 years ago, has been utilising the proceeds from the sale of his business to contribute to numerous local causes. The Friends of Aldingbourne Trust, an independent charity established in 1995, stands steadfast in its commitment to supporting and championing the important work of the Trust. Their work promotes independence, inclusion, and the well-being of individuals with learning disabilities and autism. Find out more about Friends at www.aldingbournetrust.org/friends Written by Lizzie Williams. For media inquiries, please get in touch at lizziew@aldingbourne.org  We are thrilled to share that Aldingbourne Trust's WorkAid and Seasoned Venues have launched an exciting new partnership. They will provide valuable paid work experience training placements within the hospitality and catering sector for people with disabilities. Their mission? To empower those to discover their unique strengths and skills, ultimately identifying promising industry talents.
Managing Partner at Seasoned Venues, Graham Turner, shared "We are really excited to be partnering with the team at Aldingbourne Trust. Our skills training programme has been carefully designed as part of our social goodness manifesto to give those with learning disabilities and autism the skills, confidence and work experience necessary to find paid employment and hopefully make a difference in the local Chichester community." Ashleigh, Lorraine, and the Chichester Cathedral's Cloisters Café team are kickstarting this collaboration by offering a comprehensive 4-week programme. Participants will be able to explore various roles in their bustling café, including front-of-house positions, kitchen porter roles, and cheffing. From October onwards, they're planning a monthly running of the training scheme, working with one participant at a time. Each person will have access to support from a specialist WorkAid Employment Consultant to assist with their interviews, onboarding and progression. A dedicated work buddy will also serve as a mentor, providing essential peer support throughout their learning journey. At the end of the placement, participants will receive guidance on effectively utilising their newfound skills when applying for roles within the sector in the future. Candidates have already felt a significant boost in their confidence during the initial round of interviews. They can't wait to get stuck into developing their practical skills alongside the Cloisters team over the coming months. Gemma will be the first programme starter, and she said, "I can't wait to get started! I am looking forward to bringing things out to the customers and improving my customer service skills." Seasoned Venue's commitment to spreading Social Goodness extends beyond just helping those we support; it is shaping the future generation of catering professionals to create extraordinary food and drink experiences. But together, we are building a valuable step into catering careers for many people who would otherwise find it extremely difficult to access jobs in the sector. All while showing our local communities how sustainable recruitment can work at its finest. For more information about WorkAid, please visit www.supportedemploymentwestsussex.org Written by Lizzie Williams and Rachel Benson  On September 9th, 2023, Sarah Mitas, Manager at MAKE@Aldingbourne Enterprises, and Lara Kynvin organised the inaugural "Let's Get Talking About Suicide" in Victoria Park, Portsmouth. In a world where suicide remains a largely unspoken topic, together, they are determined to drive change.
Navigating the sensitive and often taboo subject of suicide, they strengthened positive awareness, mental well-being, and community unity. There was live music, a physical zone featuring yoga, fitness, mindset maintenance, and dance, and a well-being zone offering meditation, comedy laughter sessions, music, and poetry. More than 45 local support services rallied at Victoria Park. Downtown Pompey was one of them who shared their appreciation for the day by saying, "Thank you for having us! Sprinkling Queer Joy across the city is such an important part of the work supporting LGBTQ+ (and all communities)!" Dignitaries such as the Mayor, Mayoress, local councillors, and members of the public came by in their hundreds. Feedback and impact reports are already pouring in, with one organisation noting that four people approached them for help on the day. 'Andy's Mens Club' saw six additional attendees at their social meet-up as a result of Saturday's event. They are now receiving support instead of suffering in silence. We are immensely thankful for the local media who got behind us through pre-event radio interviews and extensive press coverage before and after. 'Film 4 U' documented the journey from the event's inception earlier this year through execution and now as we plan what's next. While the editing process is ongoing, we can already tell you it's going to be an incredible watch. Collaboration is underway with Portsmouth City Council, and there's unanimous agreement that this should become an annual tradition. As such, preparations are being made for next year's event scheduled for September 7th, 2024. For now, though, Sarah is planning monthly "Keep Talking" Workshops, open to the public and held at various locations, including MAKE. These will feature guest speakers from supporting organisations, signposting resources, and well-being and physical zone workshops. Quarterly meetings for "Let's Get Talking About Suicide" are also in the works, providing a platform for networking and planning the 2024 event to keep these vital conversations alive. Written by Lizzie Williams  Before we know it, the kids are back at school, and we find ourselves wondering where the time has gone. Yet, looking back, we can't help but marvel at six packed weeks of Summer fun at the Country Centre. From the first splash of 'Wet & Wild', we ensured that every moment, regardless of the weather, was an adventure.
This year, we introduced several new events. 'Music Mayhem' got everyone grooving, 'Bubble Bonanza' filled the air, and 'Rainbow Run' brought buckets of foam whilst rainbow morphs ran riot! We also enjoyed hosting 'Little City South Downs', a mobile role-play experience where little ones get to 'be' grown-ups. From hairdressers to firefighters, builders to café owners. There are no limits! But it's the Knucker Dragons who have been a central theme this year as we tell their story, starting with the arrival of Knucker Dragon eggs at Easter and dragon encounters in May. Now, it was time we invited our young visitors to become fearless knights and protect these magnificent creatures. Through various workshops, they immersed themselves in medieval adventures. Megan, one of our Annual Members, shared her 'Great Day Out' with us, saying, "We visited the crafting marquee and loved that there were instructions on making everything a young Knight would need. Together, we created a shield and a sword and were ready to head to the Woodland Knight School. The young knights were initiated into school and got to try out archery, sword fighting, jousting and an assault course! Thank you for creating such wonderful memories for us all." We want to extend our heartfelt thanks to you, our incredible visitors, dedicated vendors, and passionate staff members. Your enthusiasm and commitment brought magic to every moment. But the thrill doesn't end here! Halloween is just around the corner... stay tuned for more details coming soon. Written by Lizzie Williams  May Half Term at Aldingbourne Country Centre was nothing short of #aMAYzing! The sun shone throughout, setting the stage for an unforgettable week of family fun.
The holidays started with a visit from 'Tom's Talking Reptiles.' Everyone gathered under our new outdoor marquee to get up close and personal with various reptilian friends, including slithering snakes, sleek lizards and even giant snails! Next, we transformed our event field into a paradise of bouncy castles for one of your favourite events: BounceAbout! Everyone revelled in the thrill of non-stop bouncing. What better way to knacker out the children?! Brent Lodge Wildlife Hospital hosted 'Make your own bird feeder' sessions, where families tapped into their creativity and crafted bird feeders from scratch using natural materials like pinecones and nut-free/vegan bird food. These bird feeders not only attract a diverse range of bird species but also play a vital role in supporting their well-being, fostering biodiversity in the process! Throughout the week, visitors were treated to enchanting AR (Augmented Reality) adventures accessible across the site. And to satisfy appetites, we welcomed 'The Ginger Tosser' for the first time, whose stone-baked and hand-stretched pizzas filled the air with a simply irresistible garlicky aroma. To beat the heat, 'Pinks Ice Cream Van' served the creamiest and most refreshing ice cream and lollies. There were big smiles as families took shade under our big oak tree. Among the week's highlights were the highly anticipated Knucker Dragon Days. Since the Easter holidays, Knucker Dragon eggs have been carefully incubated in our woodland walk. Visitors finally had the incredible opportunity to meet the baby Knucker Dragon and their parent, expertly cared for by our dedicated handlers. The encounter left an indelible mark on the hearts of all who met these spectacular creatures. We were also thrilled to welcome BBC Radio Sussex's Sophie Cobby, who spent a day with us, capturing the essence of the week. As part of their May Half Term tour around the region seeking family-friendly, affordable fun, it was an honour to share our 'Great Day Out' experience with a broader audience and showcase the magic of making a difference at Aldingbourne Country Centre. The summer holidays are fast approaching, so stay tuned for more adventures! We can't wait to see what unveils next from within our Knucker Woods... #ItsBeenAMAYzing #SummerSoon Written by Lizzie Williams Hello and welcome to our June Newsletter where we share all the fantastic things we've been up to and plan to do in the future! Our highlights:
We are also looking to recruit more Volunteers, so if you would like to become part of the Gig Buddies community and share the many benefits of being a Volunteer, such as free tickets to events and improving your CV, please contact us if you or anyone you know would like to help adults in Portsmouth make new friends.
Hello and welcome to our May Newsletter where we share all the fantastic things we've been up to and plan to do in the future! Our highlights:
We are also looking to recruit more Volunteers, so if you would like to become part of the Gig Buddies community and share the many benefits of being a Volunteer, such as free tickets to events and improving your CV, please contact us if you or anyone you know would like to help adults in Portsmouth make new friends.
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