The Horton Gardens Project, Epsom

Since opening in 2022, The Horton has won a place in the heart of the community as a cultural hub – attracting thousands of visitors from throughout Surrey to enjoy creative arts and live performance, and to explore the building’s pioneering history of mental health care and music therapy.

Although the building itself won Surrey’s Best Overall Heritage Project for 2022, the extensive grounds remain closed. Funding is needed to make them safe, accessible and ready to welcome the public, ensuring no-one is left behind.

We plan to:

•Make the grounds safe and clean, filling in collapsed disused tunnels and removing debris that has accumulated over the last 40 years.

•Create an accessible path that meanders through the landscape setting.

•Build a natural terraced seating area to make the most of the change in levels and add bench seating in secluded glades.

•Rotovate and re-seed to develop the gardens, including grass lawn, wildflower and planted areas.

•Plant trees and perimeter hedging to increase biodiversity.

•Set out designated areas for creative learning and leisure where The Horton can deliver on projects currently in development with other organisations including: a small kitchen garden space, a bug hotel, creative workshops and sculpture.

Through our venue and charitable activities, we support the wellbeing of local residents and have gained a reputation for our warm welcome and offering an enriching experience to all.

This project is a huge opportunity to extend this positive experience outdoors and meet the call from visitors who want to be able to access the full extent of a beautiful natural green space in unique historic surroundings.

The cost of the project is £185,000. Thanks to donations and pledges, including £49,995 from EEBC, we have raised more than £55,000 so far and we are asking Your Fund Surrey for £120,000.

Find out more on our website: https://thehortonepsom.org/news/funding-the-horton-gardens-project/

Follow us on social media @thehortonepsom