Freeman Brothers was first established in Horsham, West Sussex, in 1855. The company now has three further offices across the county – in Billingshurst, Crawley and Hurstpierpoint – and continues to be independent and family-run. The business proudly supports other local organisations and community groups, including charities and sports clubs. The latest initiative that Freeman Brothers is partnering with is a summer activity trail which has been set up by local charity, Kangaroos. Community Co-Ordinator, Becky, explains more…
This summer, Freeman Brothers is delighted to support local charity, Kangaroos, as one of the sponsors of their Kanga Trail.
The event is a free activity running throughout the month as part of the charity’s 30th anniversary celebrations. There are 30 wooden kangaroos to signify the years the charity has been running, and they have been individually decorated by service users. Located across Mid Sussex in a variety of places, those wishing to participate can visit the Kangaroos website to find out more and download a map for the trail. With accessibility being a key focus for the charity, the maps have this in mind, showing clearly where there are facilities that participants may need.
Freeman Brothers has sponsored two kangaroos, one located at National Trust property, Nymans Gardens, and the other at South Downs Nurseries in Hassocks.
Since opening our office in Hurstpierpoint in 2019, Freeman Brothers has proudly supported the Kangaroos charity in a variety of ways. Colleagues have used events to help to fundraise, as well as raising awareness of the vital work the charity does in supporting young people with learning disabilities and additional needs. We were also delighted to welcome Samantha Norgate, who works for Kangaroos, to read an original poem during our Community Remembrance Service in 2023.
Additionally, Freeman Brothers partners with local master goldsmith, Richard Talman, to offer his range of memorial jewellery – the With Me collection. Richard generously donates a proportion of the sale of these pieces to Kangaroos, as he too is a long-time supporter of the charity.
Visiting the kangas on the trail around Sussex is an ideal way to get out and about this summer. There tend to be several located within a cluster, so it’s fairly easy to visit a selection in one trip on foot, allowing you to see the different designs that the charity’s service users have created. You may find yourself discovering a place in your community that you’ve not previously had the opportunity to visit!
The trail also fits with the charity’s ethos in this way – their purpose is to provide fun activities and play opportunities for those who are often not able to access these due to their additional needs or disabilities; the trail has been designed to demonstrate that accessibility can and should be achieved, as everyone, no matter their age, requirements or any other factor, is entitled to experience fun and joy within their lives, something that Freeman Brothers supports too. Our work within provision of funeral services often serves as a reminder that life is both precious and fleeting, and that enjoyment should be sought when possible.
Here at Freeman Brothers, we’ve been able to make use of an enthusiastic advance party who went in search of one of our kangas. Jennifer, who works in our Crawley office, took a trip to Nymans Gardens recently with her daughter and found our sponsored kanga – which in this location is named Tracy – which, as you’ll see from the image illustrating this post is conveniently located near some picnic benches. An ideal spot to stop and take a breather, whilst admiring a brightly decorated kangaroo!
You can find out more about Kangaroos and the work that they do by visiting their website.
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