HELP SAVE & DEVELOP THE RURAL ACTIVITIES TEA ROOM (CAFE) & GARDEN CENTRE – LET'S RECLAIM HILLINGDON’S HEART!

We are This Is Hillingdon — a group of residents, neighbours and friends of the borough who refuse to stand by as one of Hillingdon's most beloved community spaces is erased.

On Friday 13th May 2025, Hillingdon Council officially confirmed plans to permanently close the Rural Activities Garden Centre (RAGC) and its tea room, once operated by the charity HACS (Hillingdon Autistic Care and Support). There were tears in the room during the painful announcement and utter devastation as locals learned that our own council planned to take away such a pivotal part of our community.

Over 6500 people have already signed to oppose the closure but the council still plans to go ahead.

Unless of course...we as a community can stop them!

WE HAVE A VISION — BUT WE NEED YOUR HELP.

A member of our group, Cee, is a qualified chef, long-time Hillingdon resident and passionate advocate for inclusive spaces. Over a year ago, she began direct discussions and negotiations with the council to revive and transform the café — with a focus on healthy meals, inclusive employment and community enrichment.

She hired a lawyer, pitched her stance to the council, visited the site several times to get to know staff and volunteers and then began sourcing funding. The vision was clear and the passion was real but she was sadly unable to raise the deposit in time.

Now, after hearing the shocking news from the council to completely shut down both sites, we are banding together and reaching out to everyone to help us revive this vision of saving the tea room and garden centre and help develop and harness their potential for the benefit of us all!

Our dream for the site is:

So what's the council's reason for wanting to close such an important space anyway?

Well, they say the garden centre and tea room aren’t self-sufficient and that they’re both depending on the council and losing it money every year.

But here’s what we say:

Injecting public funds into public wellbeing is never a loss.

And if sustainability is the problem — then we, the community, will be the solution.

We believe this space IS already a pinnacle of Hillingdon and it can thrive even further and be a shining example of what can happen when residents, not red tape, are trusted to lead.

OUR FUNDRAISING GOAL:

We’re aiming to raise a total of £22,000, with funds going towards:

£15,000 for the café development

-Rent deposit & lease setup

-Equipment upgrades to café standard & repairs

-New signage & outdoor branding

-Admin costs to hire staff

-Initial stock (ingredients, packaging)

-Hosting early community events & classes

-Adapting a dog-friendly seating area

£5,000 for the Garden Centre

-Stock replenishment (plants, soil, tools, eggs)

-Minor repairs & facility upgrades

-Signage, lighting & display materials

-Advertising & promotional materials to reintroduce the centre to the public

£2,000 Buffer & Contingency Fund

-For unexpected costs, licensing, and launch support

We’re starting with £4,500 as our first target and GoFundMe will automatically adjust it as donations come in! We know our community can rise to the challenge!

WHY THIS MATTERS:

This café and garden centre are places where:

✔️ Autistic people found safety, purpose and paid experience

✔️ Residents of all backgrounds felt welcome

✔️ Nature, creativity and healing coexisted beautifully

✔️People could connect with Hillingdon and it's core mission of empowering its residents and beyond

Hillingdon has so much untapped potential. Every day, millions pass through the borough via Heathrow, and thousands stay in our local hotels, B&Bs and guest homes — looking for local gems for them to discover - Imagine what this space could continue to blossom into if we fight for it and don't allow it to be torn away from us.

WE ARE NOT GIVING UP

We are hopeful. We are determined. And no matter what happens, we will do our utmost to make this dream a reality.

HOW YOU CAN HELP:

✅ Donate whatever you can — £1, £5, £50 — every bit makes a difference

✅ Share this campaign far and wide: with your neighbours, dog owners, plant lovers, gardeners, foodies, schools, friends

✅ Tag us @ThisIsHillingdon on TikTok and Instagram and use #SaveHillingdonsHeart to spread the word

Together, we can protect and transform a space that has meant so much to so many!!

This isn’t just about a café/garden centre. This is about preserving dignity, restoring joy and reclaiming Hillingdon’s heart.

This is Hillingdon. And we’re not giving up!!

If you'd like to pledge a service such as running a workshop when the café opens please drop us a message and we will add your pledge to the updates!

Thank you!!

THIS IS HILLINGDON