Restoring the Laundry building at Tredegar House

A view of the Laundry building from the community allotment

Tredegar House’s former Laundry building has worn many hats over the years - even becoming a Chapel at one point in its 200 year history. Having fallen into dereliction, we are now reimagining this shabby space as a green community hub for the Duffryn estate.

The 9 month project will see the Grade II listed building stripped and remodelled to house a new accessible training kitchen, training room and social area. These spaces will be accompanied by three new offices spaces available for rent.

Once completed, the Laundry building will provide a space for local organisations to deliver formal and informal training, inspiring learning, social engagement and well-being to the community of Duffryn, Newport.

With support from the Welsh Government

The £1 million project has received significant support from the Welsh Government’s Community Facilities Programme, with a total grant of £447,134. Without this money the project would not have been possible and we are pleased the Department for Culture, Tourism and Sport has chosen to support our vision to bring genuine benefit – be that educational, social, health or wellbeing - to Newport.

The interior of the building shows fire damage
The interior of the Laundry building showing significant fire damage
The interior of the building shows fire damage

Community garden appeal

The Laundry building is surrounded by gardens and a well-utilised community allotment. As part of the BIG Lottery Create Your Space programme, these gardens and allotment will undergo significant improvements following the completion of the building.

This new space will include a quiet place for relaxation and contemplation, scented and tactile planting for those with visual impairment and raised bedding to allow wheelchair users to enjoy the benefits of being outdoors and cultivating plants.

Contractors have been working hard to clear and level the new sensory garden
Work being carried out to level the sensory garden
Contractors have been working hard to clear and level the new sensory garden

Our ambition is for these new outdoor spaces to become a tranquil space encouraging members of the community to immerse themselves in nature.

Getting outdoors can bring huge benefits to physical and mental well-being. A single interaction with nature can result in a positive effect on someone’s mood that lasts up to seven hours.

What’s more, those who are at a greater risk of developing mental health issues, such as depression or anxiety, will benefit more from getting outdoors than others.

Activities such as communal gardening can also improve confidence and increase a person’s social interactions, helping them make new connections and receive peer-to-peer support.

In order to achieve the vision brought together with our partners we need your support to transform the gardens from an expanse of mud and rubble to a beautiful and vibrant accessible garden, with raised flower beds for wheelchair users and a rainbow of brightly coloured and fragrant flowers to captivate the senses.

An illustration of the new community sensory garden
Tredegar House  

Help fund our raised beds and planting scheme

In order to achieve the vision brought together with our partners we need your support to transform the gardens from an expanse of mud and rubble to a beautiful and vibrant accessible garden, with raised flower beds for wheelchair users and a rainbow of brightly coloured and fragrant flowers to captivate the senses.