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We are coming to the end of 3 major conservation projects with grateful thanks to a substantial grant from Natural England. The Victorian front gates and piers have been repaired having sustained several knocks in the past. The ice house has been cleared of tons of rubble to reveal a beautiful egg-shaped sculpture and the façade has been repaired and repointed. One of a pair of lime kilns has been similarly repaired at the front while the furnace has been emptied of earth and rubble. All are extremely well-preserved and we are delighted with the results.

If you would like to organise a private tour of Abberley Hall and its grounds, please contact Jo Roche on 01299 832666.

Don't forget, if you complete a Self-Assessment Tax Return, you can nominate The Abberley Hall Foundation to receive all or part of any tax repayment due to you. Just go to the HMRC website, find our unique identification code (VAU72XG) and enter it on your tax return.

Read the article 'Victorian's Secret' from Worcestershire Life.

FUNDRAISING

The Foundation has led a very successful fund-raising campaign so far and has raised over £300,000 to further its work.  We have been enormously grateful for the generosity of individuals who have a personal link with the School. However, the Foundation aims to broaden the base of the donor body to include people in the local area, people with a specific interest in Victoriana, and charitable funding bodies which may be interested in the undoubted appeal of Abberley’s architectural merits as well as its educational operation.

The Foundation has begun its outreach programme and is starting to promote its work and ambition to a wider audience through a number of events:

RECEPTION AT WELLINGTON BARRACKS, SW1, 9 OCTOBER 2013

Sixty people met in London to celebrate the recent news that The Country Houses Foundation had awarded a grant of £85,000 to repair the Pulham Water Garden, Grottoes and part of the Balustrade Abberley Hall.  We were delighted that Sir John Parsons, a Trustee of CHF, was able to say a few words to the assembled gathering.  We were also pleased to report on the publication of the Parkland Plan, produced by Askew Nelson as part of our involvement with Natural England.  Max Askew and his team had spent several months researching the historical detail of the estate which has been published in a hugely informative document full of pictures, maps, diagrams all relating to the historic parkland around Abberley Hall.

RECTORS DAY: JOINT VISIT TO WITLEY COURT AND ABBERLEY HALL, 20 APRIL 2013

Michael Johnson (OA 55) organised a fascinating day for descendants of former Rectors of Great Witley.  In the end there were representatives of the Foley family who owned Witley Court for over 180 years; the Earls of Dudley who owned Witley Court in the C19th, John Moillet who built the current Abberley Hall, Gilbert Ashton, the School's second and longest-serving Headmaster, and many others.

FOUNDATION AND OA DAY, 21 APRIL 2012

After welcome drinks in the Ashton Hall, there was a formal opening of the new classroom block, named after the Foundation Chairman, Rhoddy Swire, in recognition of the contribution of the Foundation to life at Abberley Hall in recent years.  Rhoddy addressed the gathering before a buffet lunch in the Private Dining Room.

HHA LECTURE 14 MAY 2011

Foundation Trustees Jo Roche and Tim Bridges gave a presentation to 70 member of the Historic Houses Foundation who then enjoyed a guided tour of the house grounds, finishing with tea in the Hall.

RECEPTION AT WELLINGTON BARRACKS, SW1, 25 NOVEMBER 2009

Another successful reception was hosted by the Foundation Trustees in London,  when Edward Harley, Chairman of the Historic Houses Association made a compelling case for supporting the Foundation, peppered with his own amusing memories of life at Abberley in the early 70s.  Several members of the Ashton family were there including Kiloran McGrigor who is currently serving as a Governor at the School, and Sue Ashton (now Goddard) whose appearance prompted a few fond memories among her contemporaries!

SUMMER FETE, 5 JULY 2009

The five-yearly fete defied the weather and the gloomy economic news to provide an afternoon of family fun, beginning with the opening of the refurbished sports pavilion. The Abberley Hall Foundation was one of three charities to benefit from the proceeds and received a fantastic £3,000.

SPRING GATHERING AT SCHOOL, 21 MARCH 2009

The purpose of this event was to contact people from the local Worcestershire community with whom the School has forged links over the years.   It was a glorious day so we were able to wander round the Water Gardens and to visit the very impressive newly-built Walled Garden accommodation, explaining the Foundation's plans for the future.

RECEPTION AT WELLINGTON BARRACKS, SW1, FEBRUARY 2009

The Abberley Hall Foundation held a small reception at Wellington Barracks in London which proved to be a very convenient and hospitable location. Rhoddy Swire (Foundation Chairman) and John Walker (Headmaster) both spoke for the Foundation with the aim of expanding the Foundation’s network as a base for future fund-raising.