Nusrat Ghani, MP for Sussex Weald, was pleased to join Ashdown Forest Chief Executive Mark Pearson and broadcaster Katie Derham in officially opening a new oak gateway which stands at the entrance to the Forest Centre.
Constructed from English oak and featuring carvings of some of the Forest’s most iconic species, the “Gateway to Nature” was unveiled to provide a warm welcome to the Forest and act as an information point for the thousands of visitors that explore the Forest Centre every year.
The Gateway has been made possible thanks to support from the High Weald National Landscape Partnership, The Chalk Cliff Trust, The Titcomb Foundation, and The Ashdown Forest Foundation.
The official opening also provided an opportunity to celebrate the completion of a series of building works to improve the accessibility of the Centre and The Information Barn and café. These accessibility improvements are in addition to the Changing Places toilet, which was secured thanks to funding from the previous Government and which Nusrat officially opened in February 2024.
Nusrat Ghani said: “The Ashdown Forest is the jewel in Sussex Weald countryside, and it is my privilege to represent it in Parliament. It is enjoyed by many local residents, schools and visitors all year round and it is key that everybody has access to the Forest and its facilities. This beautiful new gateway as well as the new pathway and improvements to accessibility of the Visitor Centre and Café will ensure that everyone can spend time in this magical landscape and discover its treasures. A huge thank you to everyone involved in the project and in creating such a special welcome feature.”
Ashdown Forest’s Chief Executive Mark Pearson said: “We wanted to create a bold structure that really welcomes our visitors and provides them with all the information they need, including a map of the Forest, details about what you can expect to see and hear and what activities are on offer for families and children. It marks the start of everyone’s adventure – a way into the Forest Centre and the first step out on walks to discover the beauty of this unique landscape.”
