Tatton Park Charitable Trust hopes to become Charity of the Year after being shortlisted in the North Cheshire Business Awards 2025!
The Charitable Trust has invested over £418,000
The Tatton Park Charitable Trust is hoping to win this prestigious award to add to the celebrations to mark its 20th anniversary year. Since its creation the Charitable Trust has invested over £418,000 in a diverse range of 58 projects across this historic estate. From the restoration of paintings in the historic Mansion through to restoring the steam engine house at the Farm, funding a new collection of orchids in the Garden’s glasshouses, opening a preloved bookshop, and refreshing parkland nature trails, the projects are designed to benefit visitors to Tatton Park. Recently the Trust has focused on making Tatton more accessible to those in need. This initiative has provided an electric buggy to transport visitors across the site, subsidised travel for school educational visits from areas of need, and bespoke sensory education packs for children with additional needs to enable them to fully participate in Tatton’s award-winning education programmes.
Keeping Cheshire’s Crown Jewel Special
Steve Wilkinson, the chair of the independent board of Trustees commented:
“To be a finalist for the Charity of the Year is a tribute to our dedicated team of volunteers. Their shared passion and commitment enable us to help conserve and improve this special place for the benefit of current and future generations.”
The Trust’s biggest fundraiser is the Pre-loved Bookshop. Opened in October 2023, it has quickly become a popular addition to Tatton’s facilities. In its first year over 15,000 pre-loved books were rehomed. It also provided volunteering opportunities for 30 local people, who between them delivered 3,028 hours last year in sourcing donated books and running the shop year-round.
Other projects include Tatton Park Gin developed with Big Hill distillery in Mobberley using botanicals uniquely sourced from Tatton’s gardens, especially the Japanese Garden; the Farm’s Animal Adoption scheme which gives visitors the opportunity to adopt one of Tatton’s popular rare breed pigs, horses or goats to help sustain the breeds. In addition, legacies, grants and partnerships with business, for example, Barclays and Manchester University also contribute funds, time, expertise and resources.
The future is bright!
The Charitable Trust is currently supporting work on a project to transform the well-loved and well used playground. Integrated into the historic parkland landscape, it will help enable children of all ages to engage with their environment and enjoy the attraction to reap the health, well-being and social benefits of outdoor play.