Having outgrown our previous home in a converted washhouse behind the Founders' cottage, The Foundry provides an ideal centre for our work and a place from which the Trust can grow and flourish. The building sits in 2.5 acres of meadowland which opens onto Forest for Our Children, Lawshalls' 23 acre community woodland and the springboard to our Community-owned Woodland scheme.

The year long renovation work clocked up 2,445 hours of volunteer help.

RIBA Sustainability Award

On Friday 6th October 2006, our architect Ralph Carpenter was awarded the RIBA East Sustainability Award for The Foundry.

The building was deemed sustainable because of its 'deep green' construction methods, making it a carbon neutral building. We also won because of our ethos of local volunteer engagement and the use of the project as a training tool for construction workers. The Foundry is as near autonomous as possible, using natural energy systems and creating no waste.

Centre for sustainable thinking

The Foundry is already being used as a local heritage and environmental education centre. We look at sustainability, past and future, involving local residents with knowledge of the building's agricultural use and the surrounding land.

We host schools from a 25 mile radius to learn about traditional land management techniques and the contemporary use of traditional materials employed in The Foundry's re-build. We also use The Foundry as a place for business people to broaden their understanding of environmental and social responsibility issues and explore how their local actions affect the bigger picture of global sustainable development and climate change.

Exciting venue for hire

We have a warm and flexible space that is ideal for company awaydays, informal meetings and workshops. The space can hold up to 60 people seated theatre style and ideal for 25 to 30 people in a workshop.

We have a growing list of delighted customers including; Natural England, Scotland Street Walkers, Suffolk County Council, Landscape Officers Group, The Environment Agency, The Timber Frame Group and BBC Breathing Places, Forestry Commission and a 'green' civil partnership celebration.

 

"The building is truly inspirational. It showcases the best in sustainability, both traditional and modern. What's more it's a wonderful place to meet."
- Chris Preist, Master Scientist, Hewlett Packard

 

For further information on The Foundry construction please read our Factsheet

Please visit our Venue Hire page for more information.