The Living Rainforest celebrates 30th birthday at special House of Commons afternoon tea event
One of West Berkshire’s most unique attractions has celebrated its 30th birthday at a special event at the House of Commons.
The Living Rainforest, located in Hampstead Norreys, is an ecological and educational centre that contains an indoor tropical rainforest within three glasshouses.
Since it first opened as a visitor centre in 1993, The Living Rainforest, which is operated and ran by the Trust for Sustainable Living (TSL), has welcomed over two million visitors.
At a special afternoon tea in the House of Commons hosted by Newbury MP Laura Farris, the TSL CEO Karl Hansen revealed the trust’s plans for the future.
The TSL hopes to upgrade The Living Rainforest’s current infrastructure before constructing three new £1.5 million buildings for education, engagement and eco-enterprise and a £2.5 million biodome above the centre’s existing glasshouses.
The TSL is also launching an online sustainability learning platform called TSL.Earth as part of its commitment to close the global sustainability learning gap.
Teachers, students, companies and non-profits from around the world will be able to use TSL.Earth.
It is hoped that all of this will be completed by 2030.
As well as revealing its plans for the future, the TSL also invited winners of its international essay competition to attend the special event.
The 2023 winner, 16-year-old Alexander Kameoka from Japan; 16-year-old Dhruv Bhatt from India, the 2022 winner; and 18-year-old Sam India Duijs Walker from South Africa, the 2021 winner; all spoke at the event about their prize-winning essays and what plans they have in their own individual futures.
Upon winning this year’s prize, Alexander said: “I really think it’s overwhelming. When I first got the news, I couldn’t believe it. I thought there must have been some sort of mistake.
“I’m very happy and proud and I really want to turn this into something I can use. Like maybe meet some people, make connections and learn stuff from them.”
After the event, Mrs Farris said: “It was a great pleasure host The Living Rainforest in Parliament together with the Trust for Sustainable Living which supports their educational outreach.
“The Living Rainforest is a much-loved attraction in Hampstead Norreys and has seen over 2 million visitors since opening its doors – originally as an orchid nursery – in 1993.
“At the event, it was a pleasure to hear from recent Grand Prize essay-winning students about the challenges of achieving a sustainable future.
“A huge thanks to Karl Hansen, executive director at the Trust, for allowing me to host such a special event.”
