Our Progress
A wonderful seed was sown when a member of the community, impressed with our vision for the greenhouse gave a very generous donation in 2020 to finance:
• The teak frame
• All the ventilation frames and gable ends
• All the toughened glass
• Repairs to the cast iron, downpipes and internal staging.
Community Funding
We needed further public support to develop the greenhouse into an all year round resource for the local community and so a crowdfunding campaign was launched in August 2020.
We raised over £10K to go towards paying for the internal light and power, repoint the aging brickwork, improve the floors and interior, build a perimeter fence and emergency gate for safety and security.
A further £5K was directly donated from three generous donors which brought our total raised to over the £100,000 needed to start restoration.
A magnificent achievement by a small charity.
The first project using this money was replacing the fence to enhance the surroundings and make the greenhouse more secure.
The Glazed Roof
Before (2020)
Before (2020)
Our master craftsmen Jason Wright has spent the last year working on the structural restoration. The surviving teak has all been repaired where necessary, sanded and stained. The glazing bars have been replaced using sustainable sapele wood.
The windows are now glazed using toughened glass and the roof glass is cut with the traditional dovetail detail.
After (2022)
After (2023)
Functioning Ironwork
All the original cast iron fittings have been removed and restored so that the window mechanisms all work as they did in the 1930s and the ceiling brackets and staging all finished in the same black to bring a unity to the whole space.
While the old heating system no longer exists the remaining pipes have been painted sympathetically to retain the history of the greenhouse.
Before (2016)
After (November 2022)
Accessible Floor
The internal floor has all been lifted and repaved to provide a safe and accessible internal space. Visually this has transformed the feel of our lovely greenhouse.
Before (2016)
After (September 2023)
Since Restoration
We have installed hessian shading blinds, a watering system in our long outside bed, maintained the round bed in Alexandra Park, currently specialising in mallows and hollyhocks.
We now use the first section as an adaptable learning space for horticultural activities with community groups, Hastings College and schools. It is a meeting place for talks, art exhibitions and other imaginative projects and is available to hire for other functions.
If interested in hiring the greenhouse contact social@our-greenhouse.org