Charity Bake Sale

The Antony Dale Trust is hosting a charity bake sale at The Secret Garden in Kemptown, Brighton, this Sunday, 14 June 2026. It is a fundraiser aimed at supporting the ongoing preservation and development of the garden, which serves as a public space for the local community.

The event centres on a spread of homemade cakes, traybakes, and pastries. While the primary focus is the fundraising, there is a specific programme element at 15:00. Volunteers are leading a history talk that covers the site’s origins in the Regency era, right through to its current role as a community space. They have described the session as an entertaining and light-hearted look at the garden’s past, and they will be using various props to help illustrate the story.

The Secret Garden itself has a distinct history. It is a Grade II listed site and stands as the last surviving pleasure garden of its kind from the original Kemp Town Estate. It was created in the 1820s as part of 32 Sussex Square and was eventually saved from re-development by Antony Dale in 1950. Today, it functions as a sculpture garden and heritage site managed by volunteers. Anne Boddington, a spokesperson for the Antony Dale Trust, noted that the garden has always been a place where people come together through nature, heritage, and culture. She added that this event is an example of that spirit, uniting the community to help safeguard a unique part of Brighton’s history while enjoying a cake.

The organisers are currently inviting local bakers to contribute to the sale. If you are interested in donating cakes, biscuits, or other sweets, you can get in touch with them directly at info@secretgardenkemptown.co.uk. While the garden typically operates with free entry, this is a fundraising event, so the expectation is that visitors will purchase the goods on offer to support the trust. It is open to the general public, so you can simply head down to the garden on Sunday to browse the selection and hear the talk at 15:00.