The Goodwood Education Trust, the independent environmental education charity operating on the Goodwood Estate, is celebrating its Golden Jubilee this year.
Formed in 1976 by the 10th Duke of Richmond, the charity connects children with food, farming and nature, particularly those who are more vulnerable or underserved. Since the early days of the Trust, activity has been led and co-ordinated by an Education Officer or Trust Secretary.
Recently the charity gathered together former Officers and Secretaries, going back to the late 1970s, to share stories and memories. The charity is formally known as the ‘West Sussex Countryside Studies Trust’, representing early partnership with other local education providers across the county, and the celebration also included representatives from the Weald and Downland Living Museum and the West Sussex County Council Records Office.
Catherine Cannon, Trust Manager, said, ‘It was wonderful to bring together people who created the Trust, and those who were responsible for so much of the incredible impact the Trust has had over the years. It was joyful to hear stories of the early years of the Trust, to observe how much the work meant to everyone involved, and to witness the shared enthusiasm and warmth for the education and learning’.
Those attending brought photographs, articles and memories, and there was a real buzz as former colleagues reconnected and reminisced. Due to the variety of programmes offered during the last 50 years, it’s hard to put an exact figure of the number of children who have benefitted from what the charity offers, but it will be well in excess of 100,000.
The group was able to admire the new Education Centre to reminisce, quite a change from the wooden hut that served for so many years, take a walk down memory lane through the semi-ancient woodland, and then raise a glass to the future of the charity.
While the Trust is evolving and adapting to meet the needs of children and young people today, it remains true to the legacy of the Founders. As one of those joining the gathering said, ‘We think they’d be very proud of what has been created’.
