Sussex Students help to build an inclusive future at Chailey Heritage

Students and staff from the University of Brighton have swapped their hi-tech studies for rural skills at Chailey Heritage Foundation. The team took part in a training workshop constructing straw bales for the charity’s latest project.

The Bradbury Den is a new learning and community space designed to bring young people of all abilities together. It will be a unique space where the young people at Chailey Heritage can learn alongside local schools and other community groups.  

Will Folkes, Chailey’s Director of Specialist Services and Income said: 

“When it is completed, The Den will be an indoor-outdoor space at our therapeutic farm. Patchwork Farm enables the young people to engage with animals and the local habitat where they achieve communication, physical and wellbeing outcomes that would not be possible in a traditional classroom.”

Will added:

“We want local schools and other communities to join us in The Den to experience unique learning – this will include all aspects of inclusivity and a focus on our environment.”

The Den is designed to be a sustainable, carbon neutral structure and will feature traditional, local building methods and materials. 

The straw bale construction is key to the build, with the team from the University of Brighton helping with the construction phase later this month, following their training.

Straw Bale Consultant Ian Brown said:

“There has been a recent revival in straw bale construction, but the craft dates back centuries. Traditional straw bale construction uses bales of straw – like large bricks, typically made from crops like wheat, rice, rye, and oats. We use the bales to support the weight of a building and provide excellent insulation.

The students have gained so much from today’s training session, and we are all looking forward to using these skills for The Den build later this month.”

The Bradbury Den has received a significant donation from The Bradbury Foundation, a large charitable trust based in Hong Kong. It funds projects in the UK that support the elderly and people living with a disability.

Chailey’s Chief Executive, Gareth Germer, said: 

“We are so grateful for the generosity of all our donors. They are helping us to create a special place where young people of all abilities can work together and create a more inclusive society.”

The Bradbury Den is scheduled for completion in the Spring of 2026.