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Chiswick House Friends

The purpose of the Chiswick House Friends is summarised by the following extract from the Trust Deed dated 20th June 1984:

Chiswick House Friends will assist in the restoration conservation enhancement and protection of Chiswick House and the grounds and the statues and other monuments therein for the benefit of the inhabitants of Chiswick and its neighbourhood and other members of the public and further to inform such visitors to Chiswick House about its history and significance.

Our aims are to:

promote and act as an advocate for Chiswick House and Gardens.
provide a forum and voice for our members to express their wishes. We publish a newsletter twice a year.
raise funds to contribute to special projects, educational initiatives and acquisitions.
encourage greater public appreciation and enjoyment of Chiswick House, its architecture, paintings, furniture and collections.
invite exploration and enjoyment of the unique and fascinating gardens.
help provide educational facilities and events to inform people about the House and Gardens

The Chiswick House Friends is a registered charity (number 289907) and its activities managed by a group of Trustees.

MEMBERSHIP - come and join us!

By joining the Friends you are contributing to the long term future of Chiswick House and Gardens, and can also add your voice to the influence we have for the future of the site.

There is a significant role for the Friends in representing the views of local people and visitors by influencing the Chiswick House and Gardens Trust in planning and implementing the Lottery Project for the best possible outcome. The AGM of the Friends will be held in the house on Wednesday 13 June in the evening.

Membership costs from £10 per year for singles, and £15 for double and £20 for corporate membership.

Click here for printable membership form (pdf) >>

PDF requires free Adobe Reader software available here.

Benefits of Membership:

Free entry to the House
Private views to exhibitions in the House
Talks and walks around Chiswick House Gardens
Social functions in the House and Gardens
Receive regular newsletters
E-mail updates for registered e-mail addressees
Influence the development of the House and Gardens

Projects

Improvements to the House & Gardens
Recent improvements to the House and Gardens
have included:

Re-facing of the House and remedying the underlying problem of penetrating damp through leaking gutters in the roof.
The addition of new paintings to the Art Collection in the House.
Transformation of the old Kitchen Garden area by the Kitchen Garden Association, which has resulted in the attraction of many new visitors.

and with the financial support of the Wolfson Foundation:

Replanting and re-landscaping of the Camellia Shrubbery.
Repair of the drainage and surroundings of the Obelisk area.
Establishment of a new education centre in the stable-yard behind the conservatory.
Recreation of the Sphinxes on the pillars at the front of the House.

Contribution of the Friends over last 10 years:

Repair of Staveley Road gates
Hardwood benches
Stone lions at Staveley Road gates
Shredder for Goosefoot volunteers
Lakewater testing
Re-hanging of paintings in the house
Overnight security during the 'graffiti' year of 2003
Speed-dips in Dukes Avenue
History Trail and tree trail leaflets
Research funding on Joseph Paxton
Research funding for establishing age of camellias
Resoration of cascade
Wheelchair lift for the disabled
Purchase of portrait of Lord Burlington's mother
Consultancy for first Lottery bid application
Tree in memory of Jeremy Benson
Expert advice on lake water
Funding for sixth form project at local school
Funding for art competition for local schools

Volunteers

Chiswick House Friends Volunteers
Would you be interested in supporting the Friends’ activities? We always need volunteers to help with a variety of events such as the annual dog show or Summer Opera Evening or there are regular tasks such as newsletter mailings. Or possibly act as a guide to the House and/or Gardens. It is a great way to meet people in the Chiswick community and would suit anyone with a few hours to spare a month. We can find activities to suit the time you have available.

Please contact us:
shop@chfriends.org.uk

The Goosefoot Volunteers

Walk through Chiswick House Gardens on a Monday morning, come rain or shine, and you will see the Goosefoot Volunteers. Wearing their distinctive green sweatshirts, hacking down brambles, pulling up weeds, edging paths, pruning wisteria and planting shrubberies, repairing the glasshouses and benches, clearing the lake of debris and doing countless other tasks to ensure the Grounds remain such a delightful sanctuary.
There are opportunities to do more creative things, such as restoring an entire area or looking after the grounds to a higher standard.
The volunteers would love to have more people to help. If you would like to know more, please email:
Fiona.Crumley@hounslow.
gov.uk

CHF Shop

As new items are constantly being added to the shop do be sure to come back on a regular basis. All proceeds of the items sold in the shop go towards the fund which the Friends maintain for supporting the House and Gardens, such as the Lottery Project.

Click for CHF Shop >>

POSTCARDS:
There is a choice of 4 different cards available in minimum of 10 per pack

2008 CHRISTMAS CARDS:
Cards with featured scenes from the House and Gardens will be available later in the year.

INFORMATION LEAFLETS:

The History Trail
The Tree Trail

NEWSLETTERS

Find out more >>

PHOTO LIBRARY:
(copyright applies)

View images >>

Trustees

Mr George Nissen, CBE
Chairman
Dr John Armstrong
Deputy Chairman
Mr Richard Treganowan Treasurer
Mrs Hilary Whalley Secretary
Mrs Halcyon Palmer Membership
Mr David Beattie
Mrs Felicity Crawley
Mrs Anita Hamilton
Mrs Jo Monroe
Mr Guthrie Luke
Mrs Felicity Barwood (representing Hounslow Council)

Other Volunteer Groups

Kitchen Garden Association
The Walled Gardens at Chiswick House date from 1682 and form a distinct part of Chiswick House grounds that has not been open to the public and has been neglected for many years. Part of the walled gardens still serves as a council nursery, part of it is still overgrown. The Kitchen Garden project began in February 2005 as a voluntary group dedicated to reviving the gardens and teaching local children (and adults) about horticulture and growing food.

The Kitchen Garden Association (KGA) runs gardening sessions for local schoolchildren during the week. They have now held well over 1,500 child sessions. There is also a gardening club, and D of E sessions are held for teenagers working towards their Duke of Edinburgh awards.

A herb bed has been created (loosely based on a design by John Evelyn), a fruit bed, a cutting garde, as well as the vegetable beds, of course. We aim for historic accuracy where possible (records and budget permitting) but above all we aim to create a living, beautiful and productive garden.

The KGA is completely run by volunteers. They provide all equipment, and volunteers with knowledge of gardening to work with the children. All our school volunteers are checked on the council’s List 99. The children must be covered by their own school insurance.

At least one weekend a month there are open sessions, when members of the public – children and adults - are invited to come and work in the gardens. All equipment and training are supplied where necessary.

For more information, visit www.kitchengarden.org.uk