Get a free green glow at National Trust Nymans

The National Trust house and gardens will be opening its doors for free to host a special Green Living day in partnership with the 100 per cent renewable electricity company, Good Energy, and sustainable energy charity, the Centre for Sustainable Energy (CSE).

This event is part of Heritage Open Days, the largest free heritage festival in the country.

Visitors will get the chance to see how much energy they can generate on Good Energy’s giant hamster wheel, have a go at composting with the help of a special piggy and learn the biodynamic gardening secrets behind Nyman’s spectacular 20th-century garden and nursery on guided tours.

Plus visitors will have the opportunity to win a year’s free electricity with Good Energy and take home some energy saving goodies and advice.

At Nymans, staff and volunteers have been working hard to save energy and use the power of nature where they can, to help the conservation charity meet its ambitious targets to reduce energy use by 20 per cent and generate half of its energy from renewable sources by 2020.

This will help to cut the Trust’s greenhouse gas emissions by 45 per cent and also save the charity around £4m each year, which can be spent on more conservation projects.

Charlene Chick, Propogator at National Trust Nymans, said: “It’s incredibly rewarding for me to see visitors enjoying the colourful gardens and woodland that I’ve helped to create and look after at Nymans.

“We all want to make sure this special place can be enjoyed by everyone forever, so we’re careful with our energy, water and waste across all parts of the estate.

“I’m really pleased we can show people at this event the changes we’re making to become greener, and hopefully visitors will see it’s actually easy to do most of these things at home too.”

Charmaine Coutinho, Business Development Manager at Good Energy said: “We’re really excited to be part of the National Trust’s Green Living Days and we’re looking forward to getting as many people as possible on Good Energy’s human hamster wheel.

“Visitors will be able to generate their own electricity and see just how much energy it takes to power a whole variety of everyday household items.

“This event is also a great opportunity to showcase some of the work we have been doing via our partnership with the National Trust.”

Rachel Coxcoon, Head of Local and Community Engagement at CSE, said: “Our trained and friendly energy advisors help thousands of people a year to cut energy bills and take action to make their homes snugger and cheaper to heat.

“We’re pleased the National Trust is embracing energy saving with its ambitious – but do-able – target to reduce consumption by 20 per cent.

“Not only is this a valuable contribution to cutting UK carbon emissions, but it also saves money which can be spent on caring for our national heritage.”

The event at Nymans is part of a wider series of green living themed activities in September hosted by the National Trust, which looks after 250,000 hectares of countryside, 742 miles of coastline and hundreds of historic places across England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

It is hoped the events will help tell the story of the Trust’s cleaner energy ambitions, and inspire others to save energy and discover ways they can look after their own homes for the future.

Nymans is open from 10am to 5pm. Visitors arriving by public transport can claim a free cup of tea or coffee with proof of travel.

Find out more about the National Trust’s green living work and partnership with Good Energy and CSE at www.nationaltrust.org.uk/energy

Report contributed by the National Trust.