Gildredge House students meet Gilly the goat!

A Very Special New Arrival

If you’ve popped down to the park this week, you might have spotted our new signage. On Tuesday, 7th July 2026, we hosted the lovely kids from Gildredge House School, Eastbourne, for a special event—meeting their brand-new school mascot for the very first time. Say hello to Gilly! He is a beautiful two-year-old Cheviot billy goat, and he’s already making himself right at home here at Knockhatch. He is actually a rare breed—one of only about 450 in the whole UK—and he wears a special little ID tag so you can spot him easily next time you're handing out the animal feed!

Bringing the Classroom to the Great Outdoors

We have teamed up with Gildredge House for a brilliant new partnership, that is all about getting the kids out of the classroom and doing some fantastic hands-on learning. From the tiny ones starting out in Reception right up to the teenagers in Year 11, this collaboration is going to bring lessons to life in a proper practical way. We are working on bespoke curriculum days, educational visits, and even career insight days to show the older kids what goes on behind the scenes at a park like ours.

Helping New Starters Settle In

Starting a new school is a massive milestone, and Craig Bull, the Executive Head Teacher at Gildredge House, reckons Gilly is going to be a huge help. He’s going to be a wonderful, warm way to welcome new families and help the youngest children feel like they properly belong to the school community from day one. Even better, the school has just launched "Gilly’s Club" for families looking at Reception and Year 7 places. It’s completely free to join the mailing list for school updates, and just by signing up, you’ll be put into a prize draw to win one of two Family Day Tickets to come and see us at Knockhatch.

Protecting Rare Breeds for the Future

Conservation and education are right at the heart of everything we do here, from our old farming roots right up to the present day. We are absolutely over the moon to partner up with a local school to help inspire the next generation, especially through our work protecting critically endangered British breeds like Gilly. If you fancy a grand day out while making the most of our Great British Summer Savings offers, you can check out all the details on our main website. And if you have little ones looking at schools, head over to the Gildredge House website to sign up for Gilly's Club and enter the ticket draw!

Protecting Rare Breeds for the Future

Conservation and education are right at the heart of everything we do here, from our old farming roots right up to the present day. We are absolutely over the moon to partner up with a local school to help inspire the next generation, especially through our work protecting the critically endangered Cheviot goats, like Gilly.

Families interested in starting Reception or Year 7 in September 2027 can also join Gilly’s Club to hear more about life at Gildredge House. Join Gilly’s Club here: