Norden Farm launches major fundraiser after costs rise by more than £100,000

A Maidenhead arts venue has launched a major fundraiser after seeing its costs rise by more than £100,000 compared to last year.

Norden Farm marked its 25th anniversary with a programme of celebratory events – including the Norden Farm Forever Gala on Wednesday, September 17.

The evening saw guests raise money for Norden Farm’s Forever Fund, which was launched at the event.

The fund looks to raise money to mitigate the venue’s increased operating costs and support it into the future.

Chief executive and artistic director Jane Corry told the Advertiser: “We’re launching the Norden Farm Forever Fund, which sadly is essential.

“Our costs have gone up so much. It’s like the minimum wage and then you add onto that the utility prices and then the threshold for NI [National Insurance], and it’s really challenging.

“This year our expenditure is more than £100,000, compared to last year – and that is just insane.”

Jane said rising costs are mainly in two areas – salaries and utilities – while insurance ‘has gone up massively for everybody’.

Jane said the situation is ‘really worrying’, adding that the team has coped with ‘all sorts of things’ over the last 25 years.

“We faced lots of challenges before in the past and we’ve always overcome them,” she said.

“But this feels really quite frightening. We get some funding from the council, which we’re incredibly grateful for, but that doesn’t go up.”

Jane said the venue ‘couldn’t manage without’ the council’s funding of £115,000.

She added: “Our running costs are well over a million [pounds]. So [the council funding is] a small proportion of what it costs to run Norden Farm, but it's essential.”

“But now our costs have gone up, and our funding is the same, it’s a challenge.”

Jane has called for more financial support to ‘cope with increased costs’ and has emphasised the need for the new Forever Fund to try and ensure Norden Farm is ‘here for future generations’.

Last week’s gala was attended by guests including current and former Maidenhead MPs Josh Reynolds and Baroness Theresa May, and radio DJ Chris Stark.

The event included a three-course meal by Bombay Story,

Stars of music and dance, including Joanna MacGregor; the Levantes Dance Theatre; Alex Hutton and Marta Mathea Radwan; and James Church and Janie Dee performed on the main stage.

The Dhol Collective and members of Maidenhead Music also performed ahead of the gala in the Courtyard Theatre.

In her speech, Jane said 2.5million people have visited the venue over the last 25 years.

The evening saw guests bid into the hundreds and thousands for auction prizes such as a six-night stay at a lakeside holiday home in Sweden.

A silent auction also took place, and many made monetary pledges to the Forever Fund – including Baroness May, who donated £1,000 to help fund three days of the winter Warm Space at the venue.

All proceeds from the Forever Gala go to the Forever Fund.

Jane has encouraged donations to the Forever Fund, which can be made at: www.norden.farm/pages/donate

A Department for Culture, Media and Sport spokesperson said: “We’re under no illusions about the financial issues facing the culture sector and are committed to supporting them during this difficult time.

"Through Arts Council England, Maidenhead & Windsor has received over £450,000 of funding across 2024-2025.”

An RBWM council spokesperson, said: “We are delighted that Norden Farm Arts Centre has been able to benefit from the financial support we have been able to secure through the government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund this year.”