Established to 'protect trees and enrich lives' at Gloucestershire's magical tree garden, the Friends of Westonbirt Arboretum is a charity which supports all kinds of activities at Westonbirt Arboretum to help people connect with trees and help its ongoing conservation, education and participation efforts.
With annual membership options starting from as little as £30 a year, SoGlos shares eight reasons to choose a Friends of Westonbirt Arboretum membership: from free perks to protecting trees for generations to come.
It gives you unlimited access to Westonbirt Arboretum
Free entry to Westonbirt Arboretum means members can visit as often as they like throughout the year, with something new to discover every month.
Soak up the best of every season and experience the arboretum's changing beauty, from admiring pretty pastel colours in spring to meandering under a canopy of riotous red and gold in the autumn.
Members enjoy affordable family days out
Kids go free for Friends of Westonbirt Arboretum members, meaning you can bring up to four of your children or grandchildren along at no extra cost, providing they're aged 18 and under.
It's a cost-effective way to maximise your family's time outdoors and encourage children to connect with nature. Plus, with free school holiday activities and new play areas to explore, there's no shortage of affordable family days out to be had.
It includes early booking for popular events
Every year, Westonbirt welcomes big-name bands and chart-topping artists to perform at its summer series of Forest Live concerts; before transforming the arboretum into a winter wonderland for the festive season, with Christmas at Westonbirt illuminating the magical tree garden with millions of lights.
Both events are annual highlights in the Cotswolds' calendar and members rarely miss out on tickets, thanks to early bird booking benefits. Not to mention they get free car parking for one car, which usually costs £10 per event.
Members get exclusive discounts
Browsing the Westonbirt Shop and its treasure trove of locally made goodies, nature-inspired gifts and children's toys is a must when visiting Westonbirt Arboretum. Members can enjoy tangible savings on souvenirs with 10 per cent discounts on spends over £10.
Adventurous types can also enjoy 10 per cent off activities at Go Ape, on every day except Saturdays, with two Gloucestershire sites in the Forest of Dean to take to the trees.
Members can explore partner gardens for free
The benefits of a Friends of Westonbirt Arboretum membership go beyond Westonbirt, with discounted or free entry to seven of its partner gardens across the UK, including free entry to Batsford Arboretum, right here in Gloucestershire.
Further afield, members can also get into Birmingham Botanical Gardens, the National Botanic Garden of Wales, the Royal Botanic Gardens in Edinburgh and Yorkshire Arboretum for free; while the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew and Wakehurst Place offer two-for-one discounts.
It supports conservation at Westonbirt and beyond
Friends of Westonbirt Arboretum memberships directly fund the work Westonbirt does to preserve its world-renowned collection of trees, contributing to the protection of endangered species and keeping these crucial parts of our ecosystem alive for future generations.
As a charity, Friends supports educational and community programmes at Westonbirt, designed to help visitors connect with trees and deepen their understanding of them.
Members stay connected
Packed with information about behind-the-scenes activities at the arboretum the newly revamped Westonbirt Magazine is exclusive to members and keeps them in the loop about how their donations are supporting Westonbirt Arboretum.
Friends of Westonbirt Arboretum members also receive a monthly email newsletter, featuring real-time updates from the arboretum, so they never miss out.
It's good value for money
A Friends of Westonbirt Arboretum membership provides great value for people who visit the arboretum regularly. With just four weekday visits per year, you start to save money on entry fees. The more you visit, the more you save!
Additional member benefits like free event parking and Member Tuesdays, which allows members to bring a relative for free every Tuesday during the winter season, provide extra ways to save money, too.
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