Charitable Activities
Lord and Lady Carnarvon support a number of national and local charities through special events here at the Castle. So, whether you enjoy running, walking, riding or family days out, there may be something for you to do and enjoy. Some of the charities which have become part of the calendar here at Highclere are listed below.
Have you thought about becoming a volunteer?
April
Naomi House
Naomi House help us to organise an Easter Egg Hunt at Highclere which returns on Easter Sunday (April 8th 2pm) this year.
Please wear suitable clothes for following a treasure trial around the woods and gardens and come and join us! See Special Events for more details.
Run in aid of Parkinson's Disease
10 km run in aid of Parkinson’s April 29th
http://www.parkinsons.org.uk/highclere
Parkinson's is a progressive neurological condition with no known cure. One person in every 500 has Parkinson's. That's about 120,000 people in the UK. Please see the web site link above for how to enter the run.
May 2012
Highclere Church, is a beautiful church designed by Sir Gilbert Scott and built by the 4th Earl of Carnarvon. A sponsored ride is provisionally planned in conjunction with the Vine and Craven Hunt to raise money for the Hunt and both churches (Crux Easton Church and Highclere Church) on May 12th. The ride will be through some of the beautiful chalk downs starting at Crux Easton and ending near Highclere Church in the Park.
Newbury Spring Festival
Newbury Spring Festival takes place through the first two weeks of May. An international music festival which was begun 33 years ago by Jeanie, 7th Countess of Carnarvon, you can enjoy outstanding music in local churches and fascinating private venues all around the local area. http://www.newburyspringfestival.org.uk/
The Army and Highclere Chapel
May 18th Support the Army and the Highclere Chapel at an exclusive talk with Lady Carnarvon and special guests in the Saloon at Highclere Castle. 10am for 10.30am, coffee and croissants. Ticket details to follow.
Starlight
Starlight raised over £150,000 in June through a clay pigeon shoot and will celebrate 10 years of fundraising in May 2012. We hope to have raised £1milllion over the 10 years by the end of our event this year. http://www.starlight.org.uk/
June
A flower Festival will take place at Highclere Church on Sunday June 3rd, 4th and 5th which we hope will be enjoyed by many visitors to the Castle. A small exhibition of photographs and information about Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee will also be on display at the church.
September 2012
Multiple Sclerosis (supported by ADP) raises money through a very successful 10k run in September. Organised by the Newbury Athletic club, it is provisionally taking place on Sunday September 16th 2012. It has now become and established testing run through the farmland and park tracks. Potential entrants should contact Newbury Athletic Club well in advance of the event. http://www.newburyac.org.uk/road-running/adp-10k
December 2012
Thames Valley Air Ambulance
Thames Valley Air Ambulance (Christmas Fair) which was a great success and is now in its sixth year. The provisional dates for next year are the 5th and 6th December 2012. http://www.tvacaa.org/
Newbury Cancer Care
Newbury Cancer Care, of which Lady Carnarvon is patron with Macmillan holds an annual Carol concert at St Nicolas church in Newbury. It is one of the best events to begin the Christmas Season each year. Interesting readers and inspiring choirs fill the vaulted ceilings of a beautiful church. http://www.newburycancercare.org.uk/
Launchpad
Launchpad again a charity with which Lady Carnarvon helps in Reading holds a Carol concert in Reading Minster as well as other events such as sleepovers in the Madejski Stadium. It supports homeless people helping and mentoring them over time . http://www.rshp.co.uk/.
Throughout the year Lady Carnarvon is giving various talks, often about her new book: Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey or about Ancient Egypt at Highclere - usually in aid of many different charities. For more information please email cbauval@highclerecastle.co.uk.
Reaching beyond the UK
Little Stars, Luxor, Egypt
Lord and Lady Carnarvon are both patrons of Little Stars a charity set up in the poorest part of Luxor, Egypt providing day care centre for young children, a surgery and food parcels. How do Luxor’s orphans and abandoned children get by? How do families survive on what can be as low as £10 per month when world prices are spiralling upward? This is far less than a dollar a day. £1 - will buy a child a pair of sandals, or sweets for 20 children, or 2 kgs of flour, or 9 kgs of dates. £5 - will buy clothes or shoes for a child, or a big warm blanket to protect a family against the cold winter night, or buy medicine for a sick child or pay the charge schools make for the use of books.
http://www.littlestars-luxor.org/
If you are studying Egypt at school will you help these children?
LangaLanga Scholarship Fund, Kenya
The Carnarvon both hugely respect and support the Langalanga scholarship fund in Kenya. http://www.langalanga.org.uk/
It is an effective charity supporting bright children through secondary education. They are often then able to go on the university and have since become engineers and doctors. Education gives them the chance to make a difference and a contribution to their families and society. Begun by Harry Vialou Clark and his wife Alison the charity takes on children from the primary schools he helped build in the poorest areas (Kariandusi School Trust) http://www.kariandusi.co.uk/
Children in Kenya walk miles each day to go to school and are lucky to have water, while school meals are rare. Why don’t you research and support these schools? They think they are so lucky to have a school to walk to.
Past events
Heroes at Highclere in October 2011 raised over £75,000 to support the Army Benevolent Fund Royal British Legion, Help for Heroes, Blesma, Combat Stress, Families of the Fallen, Florence Nightingale Foundation and many others.
We hope you enjoyed it if you were able to come and would ask if you would join us again to support the army charities in the first weekend of August 2014.
