Friends of Dartington
Founded in 1985, the Friends exists to support and advance the aims of The Dartington Hall Trust.
Click here to download the March 2011 Friends of Dartington Newsletter.
Membership Benefits
Membership is open to all interested people. About 400 members, in South Devon, around Britain and some overseas, receive bi-monthly mailings with the Estate Newsletter and details of the Friends’ activities — also the Trust’s Annual Review.
About the organisation
Friends of Dartington is an overarching organisation concerned with the whole scope of the Trust’s work including Ecology and Environment, Education, Crafts, the Arts, Social Justice and far from least, the Dartington Hall Estate itself, its land and landscape, its garden and its buildings, both ancient and recent.
Meetings
Meetings are held throughout the year, at which members meet to hear about and discuss topics related to the Trust’s purposes and projects. These usually end with informal discussion over a glass of wine. A small charge is made to pay for refreshments and towards cost of room hire. About twice a year a meal follows in the White Hart. There are also visits, an outing and a summer picnic with music.
Management
The association is managed by its Committee, elected at the AGM each May. It has its own Constitution, and is an independent organisation under the ‘charitable umbrella’ of the DHT, which recovers Gift Aid for the Friends of Dartington.
Subscription
The subscription has been kept low, at present £12 a year or £18 for two people at the same address. Though not a fundraising organisation as such, donations for specific purposes are made to the DHT as funds allow. Members are allowed a discount of 10% on purchases from most shops at Shops at Dartington (formerly the Cider Press Centre) and from the Totnes Bookshop.
The Friends can be contacted by e-mail at friendsofdartington@yahoo.co.uk, by phone to the Chair, Penny Connorton, on 01803 762378 or by post to The Friends of Dartington, The Elmhirst