HOLLY LODGE CENTRE

What HOLLY LODGE CENTRE does

Holly Lodge Centre is a registered charity (No. 1076741) founded in 1994 and located within Richmond Park, Surrey, operating from the secure grounds behind the Park's administrative headquarters. The Centre delivers in-person outdoor education programmes covering science, nature, and history to schools (mainstream KS1/KS2 and specialist SEND), community groups, families, and care home residents. Its core offering consists of pre-booked two-hour workshop sessions for mainstream schools at £145 per session (up to 30 students) and 1.5-hour SEND sessions at £5 per person (minimum £25), supplemented by sensory sessions, reminiscence workshops, holiday programmes, and bespoke community group activities. The Centre uses Victorian-era themed facilities (Victorian Schoolroom, Pharmacy, Kitchen Garden) as its primary educational content infrastructure and holds the Learning Outside the Classroom Quality Badge and the Queen's Award for Voluntary Service.

The organisation is funded through a blend of fee-based activity income, donations, and grants, with no government funding. Named funders include The Royal Parks, The Barnes Fund, National Lottery, People's Postcode Lottery, and The Wates Foundation. Operations are delivered by 5 staff members, a board of trustees chaired by James Middlehurst, and over 80 volunteers contributing 6,000+ hours per year (valued at £49,260 at London Living Wage). The Centre served nearly 8,500 visitors annually and is supported by Royal Patron HRH Princess Alexandra and patrons including Sir David Attenborough and Peter Davison.

The go-to-market is direct-to-consumer via an online booking system, supported by email newsletter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and earned media coverage. Distribution is purely on-site within Richmond Park, with no digital product offering. Building works completed in late 2025 expanded outdoor capacity, and a new partnership with The Royal Parks Nature Roadshow (August 2026) marks the Centre's first significant move toward walk-up family audiences beyond pre-booked institutional groups.

Name

HOLLY LODGE CENTRE

Legal name

Holly Lodge Centre

Website

https://thehollylodgecentre.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Holly Lodge Centre is a registered UK charity operating from within Richmond Park, delivering in-person outdoor science, nature, and history workshops to mainstream and SEND schools, community groups, and care homes through pre-booked sessions supported by 5 staff and 80+ volunteers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Outdoor Education Services

NAICS

Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAMALAO

Life Skills & SEL Camps (Confidence, Executive Function, Social Skills)

Education/Supplemental & Enrichment Programs (Arts, STEM, Language)/Summer & Holiday Enrichment Camps (Multi-Activity, Academic)

Keywords

• Outdoor education programs
• Nature-based learning
• Victorian heritage workshops
• SEND sensory sessions
• School educational workshops

Headquarters

HQ city

Richmond

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Activity fees: Fee-based educational sessions for schools and community groups. Mainstream schools pay £145 per two-hour session (max 30 students). Specialist SEND groups pay £5 per person for 1.5-hour sessions (minimum £25).
2. Donations and grants: Relies on donations from individuals, trusts, and organisations. Receives funding from The Royal Parks, The Barnes Fund, National Lottery, People's Postcode Lottery, and other charitable foundations.
3. Event fundraising: Annual fundraising events including Musical Roots concert, Quiz Night, Christmas Concert, and Wine in the Woods. Previous events have sold out.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Holly Lodge Centre is a registered charity education centre in Richmond Park delivering hands-on science, nature, and history workshops for mainstream schools, specialist SEND schools, and community groups. It runs pre-booked two-hour sessions on-site using Victorian-era themed facilities and outdoor nature trails, with bespoke sensory sessions tailored for children and adults with special educational needs and disabilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Mainstream School Workshops (Science, Nature, History) Two-hour pre-booked group sessions for mainstream primary schools (KS1 and KS2) at £145 per session for up to 30 students, covering hands-on science, nature, and history workshops linked to the National Curriculum. Sessions run morning (10am-12 noon) and afternoon (1pm-3pm).
• Specialist SEND Sensory Sessions Bespoke 1.5-hour sensory sessions for specialist SEND schools and disability community groups at £5 per person with a £25 minimum fee, recommended maximum of 12 participants. Activities are tailored to individual needs and include sensory, art, gardening, and reminiscence workshops.
• Community Group Activities Nature trail exploration, pond dipping, Easter break and summer programming, and reminiscence workshops for community groups supporting vulnerable populations including refugees, young carers, and dementia care residents.
• Music Roots Fundraising Concert Annual fundraising music concert held in Richmond Park, previously sold out, supporting the Centre's charitable operations.
• Royal Parks Nature Roadshow Free two-day interactive outdoor event offering nature exploration, science, and outdoor fun for all ages, funded by People's Postcode Lottery and delivered in partnership with The Royal Parks.
• Annual Fundraising Events Programme Programme of annual fundraising events including Quiz Night, Christmas Concert, and Wine in the Woods, supporting the Centre's charitable operations and community engagement.

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly 8,500 visitors served annually
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and major.

• The Royal ParkscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Royal Parks is a key operational partner. Holly Lodge Centre is located within Richmond Park, which is managed by The Royal Parks. The Centre runs as a charity in collaboration with The Royal Parks. Staff undergo training and the Centre manager works with Royal Parks staff. A free park bus operated by Royal Parks Volunteer team is available for school visits on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
• Richmond Hill Open GardensminorGTM or Marketing PartnerChosen as one of the supported charities for the annual Richmond Hill Open Gardens event, raising visibility and funds.
• Richmond Council 'Full of Life' ProgrammemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHolly Lodge Centre was a funded partner in Richmond Council's 'Full of Life' programme, an initiative dedicated to supporting local residents.
• EasyfundraisingminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOnline fundraising partnership allowing supporters to generate free donations when shopping with over 8,000 retailers including John Lewis, Marks & Spencer, Boots, Argos, eBay, and Booking.com.
• Royal Parks Volunteer TeamminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOperates the free park bus service that runs throughout Richmond Park from April to November, available for local schools on Tuesdays and Thursdays (subject to availability).
• Richmond Community Healthcare NHS TrustminorOthersPartner mentioned in context of 'Full of Life' programme collaboration.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Camley Street Natural Park: A small urban nature reserve and education centre near King's Cross run by The Conservation Volunteers, offering school workshops, pond dipping, and community sessions. Closely mirrors Holly Lodge's compact, volunteer-supported urban nature education model in a protected green space.
• London Wildlife Trust: A local charity operating nature reserves and education programmes across London, including school visits and SEND-inclusive sessions. Directly comparable as a London-focused conservation education charity serving similar school and community audiences with similar funding and volunteer dynamics.
• Capel Manor Gardens: London's largest ornamental gardens with formal educational programmes for schools, families, and community groups, including gardening for SEND learners. Comparable as a London-based outdoor education charity delivering curriculum-linked workshops to similar mainstream and specialist school segments.
• WWT London Wetland Centre: A nature reserve and education centre in Barnes, London operated by the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust, delivering hands-on wildlife and curriculum-linked learning to schools and community groups. Highly comparable to Holly Lodge on geography, audience (London schools, SEND groups, families), and charitable non-residential education model.

Regional players

• Centre for Alternative Technology: A Wales-based sustainability education charity delivering residential and day courses, school visits, and family programmes focused on ecology and environmental learning. Comparable on the charitable outdoor education model, though operating in a different geography and with a more residential, sustainability-focused curriculum.
• Surrey Wildlife Trust: The county wildlife trust covering Surrey (where Holly Lodge is based), operating reserves and education programmes for local schools and community groups. Comparable on conservation education mission and regional catchment, providing a sense of how a neighbouring trust serves overlapping school audiences.

Emerging players

• Battersea Park Children's Zoo: A small, accessible zoo and education facility inside a London Royal Park offering animal-themed school workshops and family sessions. Comparable as a small, park-based London nature/animals education destination for schools and families, though with a different core subject matter.

Broad incumbents

• Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew: A UNESCO World Heritage Site and major UK botanical institution delivering extensive formal and informal learning programmes for schools, families, and community groups. Comparable on the heritage/nature education proposition and London audience, but at a dramatically larger institutional scale.
• The Wildlife Trusts: A UK-wide federation of 46 local wildlife trusts operating hundreds of nature reserves with school visit programmes and community engagement. Highly comparable on charitable conservation education mission, audience, and volunteer-driven model, though operating at a much larger federated scale.
• RSPB: The UK's largest nature conservation charity, operating a national network of reserves with extensive school and family education programmes. Overlaps significantly on audience (school groups, SEND), activities (nature trails, pond dipping, curriculum-linked learning), and charity/fundraising model, but at a vastly larger national scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/holly-lodge-centre

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about HOLLY LODGE CENTRE