The Hellens Garden Festival is a Community Interest Company (CIC) based at Hellens manor in Much Marcle, Herefordshire.
CIC no. 10182432
This CIC exists to celebrate the natural world, have a constructive and educational approach to local and global matters, and raise awareness of environmental and ecological issues. This principally through the production of a Garden Festival annually at Hellens Manor, where all profits after expenses go to local beneficiaries. Beneficiaries are registered charities, CIC’s and grassroots groups operating locally and in the wider communities of Herefordshire.
Our small and dedicated team organise an annual two day Festival, held in the beautiful gardens and grounds of Hellens. It is a collaborative and creative venture, that relies on the goodwill, time and energy of a huge number of volunteers, collaborators, sponsors and supporters who share our passion for what we do and the causes we support.
The guiding principles of Hellens Garden Festival
~ To celebrate the natural world ~ Have a positive, constructive and educational approach to local and global issues ~
~ Create an enjoyable, celebratory atmosphere ~ Raise awareness of environmental and ecological issues ~
~ Share profits between charities that promote similar ideas and have social and community benefit ~
What’s the Festival about?
The Festival offers inspirational ideas, services and plants for growing our gardens, sustaining ourselves and the earth.
We believe in creating a celebratory atmosphere in which we can share experience, discuss solutions, learn from one another and nature.
Each year the festival program changes to reflect a different theme that we feel is timely, socially and environmentally relevant.
The Festival has reached its capacity in terms of number of exhibitors and visitors on site, so now our challenge is to create a rich, varied and topical programme that can inspire ripples of change and connections.
Who we are
Kat Terry, Creative Director
Katrina Preston, Assistant Director
Soesen Edan, Producer
We always need volunteers to help!
If you are interested in becoming a HGF volunteer, please click HERE
About Hellens:
Set in the rural landscape of Herefordshire Hellens is a much-loved Tudor/Jacobean home with an incredible tapestry of stories, characters, art, furniture, grounds and gardens. Open for guided tours from April to October along with our tearoom, Hellens is also a venue for educational and cultural events all year round.
At Hellens we work to create an environment where everyone who lives, works and visits us is encouraged to be creative, curious and engaged. In all our activities – cultural, educational or just fun – we strive to both celebrate and respect the legacy of this beautiful home of ours, while looking to the future in ways that are green and collaborative.
“The first owner of the Hellens estate that we can find was Harold Godwinson in 1057, but with the loss of his life and the crown in 1066, the house moved into Norman hands, and found a curious place on the edge of history about which there is more to tell!
My grandmother, related to various previous owners, fell in love with the site, and started the gardens. My parents were passionate to develop Hellens’ possibilities as a place of beauty and serenity. I have dreamt of growing a community of likeminded souls here, excited by what the arts, land regeneration, and our eccentric collections can give to others. My children are bursting with new ideas (about which sometimes I’m nervous), and as for the grandchildren, God knows what awaits us all!”
Welcome!
Adam Munthe
Chairman of the Pennington Mellor Munthe Charity Trust
Hellens is owned by The Pennington Mellor Munthe Trust (charity no. 283266). For more information go to hellensmanor.com
Hellens is open to the public on Wednesdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays from 2 April to 15 October, 10.30am – 5.00pm.
We welcome dogs and picnics.
Access to the House is by guided tour which must be booked online here.
We want everyone to feel welcome at Hellens and hope that anyone with any specific requirements won’t hesitate to contact us (01531 660504/info@hellensmanor.com) so that we can make this possible.
The Great Barn, Georgian Stables and Haywain have good access and facilities for wheelchair users and we have designated accessible parking areas. There is level access to most of the garden and ramped access to the Tearoom. Access to the House for wheelchair users is possible on the ground floor only.
