Arthur Cole, Head of Programmes at The Newt, gives us the lowdown.
GM: Having The Newt as an office must be pretty special. Is your working day as idyllic as it sounds?
AC: It’s difficult to beat, especially at this time of year. The day begins with an impromptu forest bathe - unavoidable on the walk through the leafy estate - and deeply inhaling the phytoncides (volatile organic compounds
released by the woodland, to combat microbes that would attack the plants). These phytoncides increase the activity of ‘natural killer cells’ (NK cells kill cancerous or virus-infected cells in our bodies); quell anxiety and
stress; reduce the production of adrenaline. So they’re anti-cancer, anti-viral and anti-stress, therefore giving more space for joy and a feeling of oneness with the very fabric of reality. The rest of my day is taken up by fulfilling our mission statement: “to provide an exceptional guest experience”! I do this through various ways:
◦ Conceiving, composing and communicating the Programme (an annual programme of experiences that showcases and interprets the business for our clients)
◦ ‘To educate and entertain through experience’ – the Programmes Department motto
◦ Commissioning ideas
◦ Collecting the dots and joining the dots. Essentially, I love what I do and I do what I love - it is a happy quirk of fate that it aligns precisely with the success of our business!
GM: As Head of Programmes, you’ve created such an interesting and varied calendar. What have been your highlights of 2024 so far?
AC: Definitely the Dry Stone Walling workshop – this is a flagship workshop in which you learn how to create beautiful, practical and timeless features in your garden/estate. Everything including walls, fire-pits, water features, moon gates, bee bowls and more, all out of stone with no cement or adhesive.
Then there was The Spitting Toads by Emma van Zeller (not strictly 2024, it was released in Christmas 2023, but it is great) - our first children’s book set at The Newt. It was the culmination of a year’s work, and it is beautiful and playful.
The Chelsea Flower Show was great fun. My role focused on being the ‘Chelsea-champion’ and working closely with our media team to produce videos for our Instagram.
Last but not least, the Gather & Grow series; this is our own ‘TED Talks’ style series of discussions held once a month, with subjects ranging from snowdrops, psychedelics, rainforests, regenerative agriculture, film, love…
GM: And what do we have to look forward to?
AC: The Gather & Grow Summer Festival is taking our Gather & Grow concept and holding it over three days at the end of August (Fri 30/08 – Sun 01/09); think ‘Planted’, Newt-style, with panel discussions, talks, workshops and evening banquets.
Our Gardener & Chef workshops are running throughout the summer. Essentially, you harvest produce from the Market Garden and then cook it over flames outdoors before sitting down to an indulgent al-fresco lunch.
And finally in the autumn, we’re doing Mushroom Masterclasses. Walk the estate with River Cottage’s celebrated mushroom expert, John Wright, and learn about edible (and inedible) mushrooms. John is simply the best.
GM: For newcomers to The Newt, are there any must-dos during their stay?
Get a little lost in the gardens. For the immersive experience, book into a workshop.
GM: And finally, where will you be found amongst the grounds this summer?
In the woods, breathing in the phytoncides!
GM: Thanks, Arthur!
June, 2024
