The Magdalen Project: a Landscape for Learning

The Wessex Foundation (Registered Charity Number 1002373) is an educational and environmental charity that seeks to provide, through The Magdalen Project, an inspiring exploration of sustainability, organic food production and ecological land management for people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities. Through our 132 acres of diverse natural habitats, residential accommodation, interpretation materials, workshops and courses, we offer visitors the opportunity to develop an understanding of sustainability, and a greater responsibility towards their environment

Magdalen aims:

  • to make learning an adventure, through hands-on inspirational activities and imaginative teaching styles and resources
  • to 'walk the talk' - not merely to explain the theory of sustainability, but to strive hard to put it into practice
  • to promote self confidence, powers of reflection and social responsibility through creative engagement in land-based activities and training
  • to support healthy lifestyles and sustainable systems of food production
  • to enable visitors of all ages, abilities and cultures to discover the enrichment of reconnecting with their environment and rural heritage

Magdalen takes a holistic approach to its work, integrating ideas about education and sustainability, supporting best environmental practice at all times.

Future Projects

More than 4,000 people visit us each year to experience the many different aspects of Magdalen. To help accommodate this growing interest and visitor numbers we are looking to initiate a major phase of development. We have planning permission for an old, tumbledown barn is to be converted into a dedicated centre for our Care Farming activities, described more fully under a separate heading. There will be a meeting area, a teaching room, a large living/games room and several bedrooms, designed to be suitable for people with a range of disabilities.

Our second major project is the 'Blue Barn', currently used for storage and agricultural workshop. We plan to replace the barn with a fully sustainable building to house a demonstration kitchen for our increasingly popular Food and Drink courses, including smokehouse, bakery, cold store and meat curing / cutting room, along with a large, versatile teaching area.

These two projects will clearly demonstrate sustainability in action, both in their construction and in the wide range of activities which will happen there over the years to come.

For more information, please contact Sarah Gleadell.