Hopwood Hall Estate gains Charity Commission status and names trustees on newly formed board

Hopwood Hall

After years of work, Hopwood Hall Estate has been awarded charitable status by The Charity Commission for England and Wales.

The charity, entitled ‘Hopwood Foundation for Heritage, Arts, Education & Inspiration’, has a board of trustees to steer the project going forward, including Hopwood DePree, who is restoring his ancestral home.

Hopwood said: “Launching the charity has always been part of the long term vision for the rescue and rehabilitation of Hopwood Hall since the beginning, delivering educational and engagement opportunities to the public.

“The highly accomplished individuals that we have been able to assemble as the board of trustees is inspiring. Each have been highly supportive and encouraging over the past several years and they all have diverse backgrounds and expertise that will be invaluable guidance as we continue to move the project forward to preserve Hopwood Hall Estate for generations to come.”

Hopwood is joined on the board of trustees by Adrian Mills, Chief Operating Officer for BBC England; Lady (Xa) Tollemache, a historic home owner who has been designing gardens across Europe and the US and is a Chelsea Flower Show gold medallist; Des Styles, a Manchester-based business and finance advisor who has ties to globally recognised arts and entertainment brands; and Charles Greenall, an architect and Head of Capital Programme for a Multi-Academy Trust in the North West.

Charitable status for the foundation – which took over two years given the research and consultation needed to apply – was achieved through a grant from National Lottery Heritage Fund, and it was overseen by several top experts in the field, including Stephen Claus from Brabners LLP.  Mr Claus is considered the number one solicitor in the North West for charities by Legal 500.

The new charity will function alongside future commercial operations that will help support the estate for the long term.

Additional support for the developments have come through the ‘Friends of Hopwood Hall Estate’ and a locally-based volunteer Vision Committee that includes architect Anita Chan; former events and venue manager Geraldine Connor; education and grant advisor Dori DePree; and property and procurement consultant Tony Tattersall.