During 2013 a three-year enhancement plan began to improve the Centre’s operating effectiveness and the quality of our visitors’ learning experience. The Centre is funded mainly from donations from private and non-governmental organisations and income from various fund-raising events.
In the restful setting of Richmond Park, the Holly Lodge Centre offers a range of educational activities for groups of children, young people and adults - particularly those with disabilities, focused on the nature and Victorian heritage of the Park.
The Centre was founded in 1994 as part of the Royal Parks education programme. Its aim was to provide an inspirational space to experience Richmond Park. It became a separate charity in 1999 and the Centre celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2014.
The Centre has two employees, supported by over 80 volunteers and nine Trustees. Our volunteers lead the teaching sessions and complete most of the administrative tasks for the Centre, which is managed day-to-day by Centre Manager Anna King and Education Centre Coordinator Freya Ward.
The Centre has fully accessible facilities including;
The Centre operates on a budget of approximately £80,000 a year together with volunteer time valued at at least £70,000. Funding comes from trusts and foundations, fund-raising events and individual donations. Our charges to visitors amount to only 15% of our costs: we receive no monetary funding from central or local government.
Richmond Park is approximately 12 miles from Central London, yet it is a green and tranquil oasis, with a beautiful landscape, a host of wildlife and a fascinating history. The Park has been designated a National Nature Reserve, a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and a European Special Area of Conservation to protect its rare invertebrates, ancient oak trees and acid grassland.