For nearly 60 years the buildings at Flatford, including the Mill and Willy Lott’s House, have been in the care the National Trust and leased to the Field Studies Council. Both take great pride in the stewardship of this very special place. As a charity and not-for-profit organisation, the FSC is the UK’s leading provider of education ‘in, about and for the environment’. The FSC works directly with 80,000 people each year, the majority of whom are young people. Its wide-ranging brief is to share knowledge, understanding and skills right across the spectrum of arts, humanities and sciences. The industrial origins of Flatford Mill and its heritage associations with John Constable, nurtured by National Trust ownership, are therefore strongly complemented by the FSC’s passion for ‘Bringing Environmental Understanding to All’ Flatford Mill was the first of 17 Field Centres across Great Britain and Northern Ireland now managed by the FSC. In 2004, this Centre alone has run more than 300 short courses and activities in all aspects of the arts and the environment. Over 5000 individuals (‘young people of all ages’ from 7 to over 77!) have shared the benefits of our experience, most of them staying with us for between two and seven nights. In addition every year around 200,000 people visit Flatford to see the scenes Constable sketched and painted or simply to enjoy the beauty and tranquility of a place where time appears to stand still for a few brief moments. Flatford Mill wishes to build new accommodation for its visitors, to provide modern facilities and new teaching rooms. In turn this will reduce the stresses and strains upon the older buildings. Visitors will still have access to the Mill House and its associated buildings where the dining room, kitchen, common rooms and library are housed. FSC has already raised £450,000 (as at Jan 2008) towards the £1.6m costs of this new build. We have successfully gained planning permission, with support for these new proposals from the local Authorities and Environment Agency. We have instructed our architects to proceed with drawings to the further detailed RIBA Stage D. FSC is committed to this project and are actively seeking funding to ensure this project comes to fruition. Amount £1,150,000