The Hideaway – transforming the future for all of us
Help us bridge the funding gap!
As our charity develops, we have many more groups in the wood, learning about conservation, sustainability, wellbeing, resilience and mindfulness – not only from our own team, but from teachers worldwide who run their retreats and residentials at Hazel Hill Wood. For some time now we have been aware that our current accommodation is not adequate to meet all these growing needs.
You may be familiar with our current buildings and much as we love them and continue to make improvements to them, their total sleeping capacity limits us to groups of 15-20 and that relies on people sharing space in dormitory stye. We increasingly have demand for larger groups and single and twin rooms that offer greater comfort.
In-keeping with our aspiration to give more people the opportunity to connect deeply and meaningfully with nature at the wood.
The Hideaway will transform what we can offer as a charity, for example:
- hosting programmes for senior policy makers in the NHS and other services, where nature immersion gives deeper perspective.
- sharing our expertise with other centres and individuals by making train the trainer programmes viable.
hosting larger groups of up to 32 people, e.g. whole school classes .
leading teachers to run groups on topics like climate change and resilience.
The Hideaway will provide:
A simple but lovingly-finished 140m² building with 8 single bedrooms (one of which is wheelchair accessible), off-grid technology such as photovoltaic powered lighting, composting loos and an efficient wood-burning stove for heating and hot showers. Construction will be timber frame, using as much timber as possible from the wood in the fit-out.
Off-grid technology: We have combined over 20 years of learning and experience in running off-grid systems at the wood and have designed intermediate technology at an affordable price. We will be planning a volunteer and trainee event in early 2020 to help learn about off-grid technology and get involved in the Hideaway fit-out (watch this space!) The Hideaway is coming at a time when sustainability is a vital topic and environmental awareness and social activism is growing exponentially.
When will constructions start?
We have planning consent, almost complete with building regulations approvals and have a reliable contractor who has worked with the wood and understands our ethos. Everything is poised to start this September 2019, subject to raising sufficient funds. If all goes to plan, The Hideaway will be open to welcome you from May 2020 (we already have expressions of interest for people booking the building in 2020).
Help us bridge the funding gap: bring the Hideaway to life!
The total cost of the Hideaway is £250,000. We have already secured £184,000, including a generous grant from the EU Leader and a private donation.
If you would like to contribute to bringing this building into being, and be part of our thriving Hazel Hill community, please do so either via:
- Online via Charities Aid Foundation, using a debit or credit card by clicking here. If you select Gift Aid, your donation goes further.
- Bank transfer: Hazel Hill Trust Capital Account: Sort Code 30 97 14 Account Number 28990360. Please mark your payment Hideaway, and email us so we know who gave it, and the we can arrange to claim Gift Aid.
- By cheque: payable to ‘Hazel Hill Trust’, and send to Hazel Hill Trust, c/o Lauren Hall, 2 Kings Gate, Wilton, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP2 0RP.
Any support, large or small, will be hugely appreciated and well used. Gifts over £500 will be acknowledged via a display within the Hideaway, and all donors will be invited to our opening celebration in Spring 2020. We would be glad to recognise high value donations in ways that feel appropriate to the giver, and are in keeping with our ethos.
Get in touch:
There is a detailed display of the Hideaway in the Oak House, please add your comments about the building and donations in the box provided.