On the face of it, the Furzey Gardens Charitable Trust offers eight acres of peaceful woodland walks, exceptional trees and shrubs, lovely views across the Isle of Wight and a setting in Minstead, one of the area's most interesting villages, unspoilt and essentially everything an English parish should be.

But Furzey Gardens is also part of a much bigger endeavour. Its sister charity, the Minstead Training Project, provides residential care and horticultural training to young people with learning difficulties. Students from the project may frequently be seen working in the gardens or in the adjacent nursery, and in fact Furzey owes a great deal to the students, whose work on the land also helps them to learn the skills they'll need later in life. Plants raised by the students can be purchased from the Nursery Shop near the tea rooms.

The Project is founded upon a concern for the needs of people with learning disabilities and strives to serve individual cultural and spiritual needs. Everyone at the Project is expected to regard their work as a way of life, embracing an attitude of love and care for others. As a Christian-based trust, students and staff are welcome to join in the celebrations of the principal Christian festivals.

To be able to fulfil our aims we are blessed with staff and volunteers who are skilled, experienced, well trained, highly motivated and, above all, caring.

Help us nurture and grow

As a Registered Charity we rely heavily on fund raising initiatives and donations to be able to provide the level of care and services for which our name has become synonymous.

Would you like to volunteer?

Would you like to spend some time helping out at Furzey Gardens or gallery as a volunteer; mix with and meet lots of interesting people? If so, do please give me a call on 07753 635469 or email me at ann.crabbe@furzey-gardens.org and come over for a chat.

Ann Crabbe (Volunteer Co-ordinator)
Furzey Gardens Charitable Trust, Minstead