news at Alscot?
Keeping you up to date with all the latest news from Alscot.
For more information see our Charity Page or visit You Tube.
Cricket was the winner when an Alscot team, captained by Andrew Holman-West, and made up of Alscot associates, played a friendly match against Warwick Cricket Club, the new and very welcome guests at Alscot Park cricket pavilion.
The Warwick team, captained by Mike Hope, batted first & scored 168 in their overs. Batsman were encouraged to "retire" after scoring some 25-30 runs.
Recently, on a beautiful warmer than average September day (poignant given the nature of the event), we had the pleasure of hosting leaders and members of our local authority - Stratford upon Avon District Council. Following the change in local government earlier this year, members of the Alscot Estate team, including Emma Holman-West and Jack Kennedy, introduced the Alscot Biodiversity Net Gain Project and how Alscot is contributing to deliver the UK’s climate change ambitions.
Watch on You Tube
The 1st Tiddington Scouts joined us in June this year on their volunteering week. The group of 10-14 year olds joined forester, Dave, and learnt various aspects of forestry and woodland management, including the importance of providing habitats for wildlife species, and why we need to protect young trees in the wild. The group helped in various roles by collecting used tree guards, placing sheeps wool into tree guards to discourage deer, and they dug trenches on the edge of the woodlands to help create habitats for invertebrates. The Scouts were really engaged and have asked to come back another time!
The first Art at Alscot event, part of Warwickshire Open Gardens, took place at Alscot Prak 22-25 June 2023.
A collaboration of 12 artists exhibited at Alscot Park and the event was free to attend.
The year 6 students from The Croft Preparatory School ventured to the Estate again this week to take part in nature studies on the biodiversity land at Alscot. The children took part in orienteering, identifying native tree species, an invertebrates study and a wildlife and plant ID walk. We hope the activity day inspired the children to become a positive voice for nature in future, and based on their enthusiasm, even on a damp day, we have no doubt that they will.
Click HERE for the video
What a jolly time we all had at Alscot Jolly Jumpers Christmas Coffee Morning! Great to share time out with so many of the Alscot based businesses and individuals, including our very own The Musical Box who performed for us live!
See the video here
On Thursday 15th December, in excess of 150 guests braved the freezing temperatures and snow and came out in force to support Carols, Candles & Canapés at Alscot Park to raise vital funds for The Children’s Society. The event organised by The Shipston Deanery Committee, with support from Emma and Andrew Holman-West was attended by Chief Executive, Mark Russell, who gave a humbling and inspiring speech, and by the Bishop of Coventry. The total sum raised was £5,765.00
Alscot Park was the venue on Friday 9th Dec for the C&W Chamber of Commerce South Warwickshire Branch Meeting. The topic of conversation was green skills and how businesses are focusing on becoming more sustainable. It was a great opportunity to network with like-minded individuals and businesses and share thoughts, ideas and connections.
We recently welcomed our business banking Relationship Managers to the Estate where they gleaned just a small insight into the extensive range of diverse, unique, and successful businesses that operate from Alscot.
We try hard to get to know the businesses located here at Alscot and on this occasion we took our visitors to meet Shakespeare Media; media specialists, planners and buyers. Business Owner, Vicki Bravington was good enough to spare a few moments to tell us about Shakespeare Media and who they are currently working with, including the renowned Royal Shakespeare Company and the Jockey Club. The following busineses were also very kind to take time out of their busy schedules;
On an exceptionally cold and wet February Sunday, students from four local primary schools braved the biting weather to plant young fruit trees to create a new orchard at Alscot.
Fast forward 8 months to autumn, with plenty of sunshine and TLC over the spring and summer months and the trees are all flourishing.
In January 2021 we started the Estate’s Ditch Maintenance Program. Covering circa 4,000 acres of land it’s a huge and on-going undertaking, concentrating on Clifford Chambers and Atherstone on Stour in the first year, extending to land in Preston on Stour and Alderminster, and the rotation system allows wildlife to recolonize.
We have been shortlisted as a finalist in the Coventry/Warwickshire Live Business Awards 2022 in the Green Business of the Year category for the Alscot Biodiversity Project.
The Awards celebrate the city's finest businesses, entrepreneurs, and organisations across 12 different categories
Party in the Park held at Alscot Park on Sunday 17th July raised a whopping £6,500 for Shipston Home Nursing.
The event was a milestone celebration to mark the 25th year of SHN and the remarkable work they do providing support and care to families who are facing difficult times in their lives.
This years theme 'Party in the Park' included a car boot sale, classic car display, live music, cocktail bar, teas, children's entertainer and camels. Those attending had the opportunity to browse the family gardens and historic parkland, and see some of the magnificent architecture, structures, ponds, vistas, and of course the abundant, fragrant and spectacular trees and flowers.
The event raised £6,500 for the charity.
We were delighted to introduce members of the Coventry and Warwickshire LEP, Growth Hub, to a very small but diverse selection of businesses based at Alscot, to understand the scale of our operation now and the potential for expansion in future.
See the video HERE
The Croft Launch the First Primary School Environmental Activity Study Day on the Alscot Biodiversity Project Site.
They say doing something later is better than not doing it at all and much can be said for this new environmental opportunity. We are thrilled and delighted that following a long postponement, a group of year six children and their teachers, have taken part in the very first Alscot Biodiversity Project Activity Study Day.
On Thursday 28th April, teacher Tom Genders lead a group of forty year six students, aged 10-11yrs, in a series of activities, discovering and learning different aspects of plant and wildlife in the local countryside. Mariya Tarnavska and Ben Wood, Ecologists at Warwickshire County Council, who support the venture, joined the children to share lots of interesting facts on amphibians, and even brought along some young toads and newts. Masha commented “we were both impressed with the knowledge and enthusiasm of the children. It was heart-warming when two children shared with us that they would like to like to learn more about animals and become biologists.”
We are delighted to be taking part in this initiative by Stratford-on-Avon District Council along with Shakespeare Birthplace Trust as the first two businesses to sign up to the trial.
These electric bikes are excellent for transporting stock on short journeys rather than using a car or van. If any Alscot businesses are interested in joining the initiative then drop us a line and we will put you in touch with the organiser.
Read more details HERE
Alscot has donated a beautiful oak tree to Nettlefold Garden, just one of the projects run by Moor Pool Heritage Trust; a charity formed specifically to acquire the community facilities for the benefit of the local and wider community. The tree has been donated and planted as part of The Queen's Green Canopy initiative to mark The Queen's Platinum Jubilee this year. The tree will be formally recognised at an event over the Jubilee weekend 2-5th June 2022.
To learn more about The MPHT follow the link http://moorpoolhall.org.uk/.../moor-pool-heritage-trust.html
Despite the heavy rain and biting cold wind, it was muddy boots, wet weather gear and big smiles all the way at the Alscot Biodiversity Project Tree Planting Workshop on Sunday 13th February.
The Croft Preparatory School have embraced the collaboration with Alscot and Mr Tom Genders, Head of The Croft Eco Club, keen gardener, and environmentalist, held a voluntary Tree Planting Workshop for local primary school children.
Taking advantage of an opportunity to refurbish this traditional and substantial farmhouse with gardens, we set about work in Nov 2021 to update the property to suit modern day living.
The existing kitchen, downstairs WC and dining room were opened up into one large family space, with a brand new WC being converted from a pantry. A new fitted utility room was created from a disused cold store and an independent space, suitable for a home office or gym, was created from a boiler room.
The Alscot Community Calendar raised £1800 for the Church of St Mary, Preston on Stour.
We felt that the images shared on the Alscot Community Facebook page, all taken by amateur photographers depicting life on the Estate, deserved to be shared further and so we created a calendar for the coming year as a platform to showcase a selection of these wonderful images.
All images were blind chosen (no names on the photographs) and the calendar features photographs from 15 different members of the local community.