Brighton and Hove Association

Visitors in the gardens at Nymans, West Sussex.

Brighton and Hove Association was founded in 1972 to promote the National Trust locally. It also raises funds for its support, whilst arranging an enjoyable programme of social events and activities for members.

Brighton & Hove Association warmly welcomes new members.  Membership is open to all supporters of the National Trust and is predominantly drawn from Brighton and Hove.

During the winter we have meetings twice a month with interesting talks on offer, plus a number of social events including a Spring Lunch, Christmas Tea and a New Year Lunch. In the summer, we arrange outings to National Trust properties and other places of interest.

Why not join us? It's an enjoyable and interesting way to meet like-minded people, make new friends and at the same time support the National Trust.  We'd like to meet you.  Among the National Trust properties, we support are the local properties of Devil’s Dyke, Saddlescombe Farm, and Nymans Garden. In the last 3 years, our Association has raised £12,475 to support local Trust properties and projects. 

We hold speaker meetings from October to April at 2:30 pm on the first Thursday of the month at The Ajex Centre,  Eaton Road, Hove and at 7:30 pm on the third Monday of the month at Brighton, Hove and Sussex Sixth Form College, 205 Dyke Road, Hove.
 
The annual subscription is only £10 per person. For this members receive two newsletters a year containing full details of all that we have on offer.
 
Meet a supporter
 
Hello, my name is Carol. I became a member of  the supporter group at Brighton and Hove National Trust Association because it gave me  personal  involvement in the raising of funds for the National Trust. So often we think "what a good cause" but don't get round to doing anything about it.

I organise the annual holiday for the group, where we add on £5 to what each member pays as a donation to the Trust. I also arrange the speakers for our bi monthly meetings and with another member, arrange the four outings we do each year.

As Nymans is our nearest National Trust property, I go there more than any other place. But we also have three or four National Trust properties on our outings and on the holiday each year. The holiday ones can be anywhere in the country.

My favourite thing about the National Trust is that it preserves many wonderful stately homes for future generations and assists wildlife by maintaining areas of great natural beauty and importance - ensuring that they are there for all of us to enjoy.

 
You can join in with any or all of our events. There are coach outings to places of interest, meetings with speakers covering a multitude of topics during the winter and many other social events.
 
All of our events offer opportunities to meet new people. Do come and join us, and be sure of a warm and friendly welcome.
 
What's on
Programme of events April to September 2018
 
Talks

8 March 2018,  2.30pm at the Ajex Centre

Windsor Castle by Leslie Grout. The history of one of our most famous and important buildings

19 March  2018,  7.30pm at BHASVIC

The Capable Mr Brown by Russell Bowes. Many things we did not know about Capability Brown

5 April 2018, 2.30pm at the Ajex Centre

A harp recital by Margaret Watson.  Renowned Sussex harpist Margaret has played for Royalty and many other distinguished audiences, and now she plays for us.

16 April 2018, 7.30pm at BHASVIC

Murders and Misdemeanours in Brighton. Paul Green tells us about some of the more shady aspects of Brighton’s past

Events

Spring Lunch

We are holding a Spring Lunch on Wednesday 18 April 2018 at the Gallery Restaurant, City Col-lege, White Cross Street, Brighton

Contact Jenny Smith on 01273 556516


Outings
There are four coach outings for 2018. The coach leaves Hove Town Hall at 8.45am and Patcham at 9.15.

1 May

A day in Canterbury. The trip includes a visit to the Canterbury Tales exhibition and the coach will drop us near the city centre within easy walking distance of attractions including the Cathedral, Roman Museum and many others. Everyone will be provided with a city map.

12 June

A visit to Eltham Palace in the morning and Emmetts Gardens in the afternoon. Eltham has one of the largest great halls in the country, built for Edward IV. It was then very substantially remodelled in the1930s by Stephen and Virginia Courtauld. The gardens were also redesigned in 1930s style, said by some to be comparable with Sissinghurst. At Emmetts Gardens the rose garden should be at its best.

24 July

A day starting with the Alfriston Clergy House, the National Trust’s first acquisition in 1896. This thatched, timber framed house, dating from the 14th century, has a lovely position with a cottage garden and views over the surrounding countryside. The visit will then move on for a group tour of  Firle Place, the home of the Gage family for over 500 years. The house has furniture, paintings, ceramics and other objects assembled over the centuries.

4 September

We go to Winchester and The Vyne. a Trust property in Hampshire which has recently undergone very extensive restoration. The house has illustrious associations, from Jane Austen to JRR Tol-kien, while outside are gardens, meadows and woods rich in wildlife.

Contact Carol Beard  01273 501963 or 0759 8944757

Get in touch

We hope it will encourage you to join us. Our membership secretary, Elizabeth Raynar-Smith will be delighted to hear from you on 01273 562404 or email e.raynarsmith@btinternet.com