Joint announcement from Parchment Trust,
Magdalen & Lasher and Little Gate Farm

Ahead of the transfer of The Bridge Community Centre from Parchment Trust, we would like to share news of the new charities involved.

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Magdalen and Lasher will be the new owners – Magdalen and Lasher are delighted to secure the property for the good of the town and are thrilled that Little Gate will be occupying and running it.
Little Gate Farm will occupy the site and deliver services – Little Gate is a charity enabling people with learning disabilities and autism to access employment, training and community opportunities. The charity will be running The Bridge as an inclusive space for the community, with some Little Gate services based there.

The three charities have been in discussions since December 2025, and the transfer of ownership of The Bridge is now well underway, with final legal aspects in process. All charities are working at pace and remain fully committed to ensuring the site is protected for community benefit.

A further joint announcement will be made upon completion of the legal process, at which point we will be able to share more detail regarding plans and anticipated timeframes for opening. In the meantime, any initial enquiries can be directed to info@littlegate.org.uk.

A little gate to a bigger future

Only 6% of adults with learning disabilities are in paid employment.
This means 94% are in unpaid work, day care or stuck at home.

It doesn’t have to be this way.

At Little Gate we believe that everyone has the right to train for, find and thrive in paid employment.
We work with families and businesses across East Sussex and Kent to make this vision a reality.
Help us and you’re helping to change lives.

How you can help

Cost of living support

East Sussex County Council has set up a support page with information and advice about the current cost of living crisis.

Visit support page

What we do

Supported Employment

We find paid jobs for adults with learning disabilities and autism, giving them all the support they need to learn the role, adapt to their new workplace and become a real asset to their employer.

More information

Supported Apprenticeships

We give adults with learning disabilities and autism the opportunity to train ‘on the job’ in paid apprenticeships. We work closely with employers and specialist education providers to ensure everyone involved gets the most from these wonderful learning opportunities.

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Supported Work Training

We offer training in a wide range of job roles to adults with learning disabilities and autism. We apply a business ethos to all the training, giving trainees the experience of a professional workplace while they learn specific job skills.

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Little Gate Rangers

Our Young Ranger and Teen Ranger clubs are for children aged 8 to 18 with learning disabilities or autism. We provide a wonderful range of fun activities around our farm and woodland. The kids get to explore the countryside, make new friends and grow in confidence.

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Social enterprise

We run several social enterprise ventures which create income for the charity and give our trainees valuable business experience. These include venue hire at our farm, cut flower production and products from our woodland enterprise scheme.

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