A new attraction at The Alnwick Garden opened its doors to the public last week after years in development.

Lilidorei is the world’s biggest play structure and adventure village. Its central castle stands at 26 metres tall, with 170 metres of rope bridges and six slides. It was conceived by the Duchess of Northumberland, who wanted to create a magical land filled with clan houses, secret sounds, and visual attractions. The concept was designed to encourage children to use their imagination, to step away from their screens and get outside to create their own narrative.

Representatives of Allia C&C were honoured to attend the launch – and judging by the delighted reaction they saw from the schoolchildren who had come to explore Lilidorei on its first day, that objective was clearly being met.

The project was built at a cost of £15.5m, which was partly funded by an RCB bond issue for The Alnwick Garden Trust arranged by Allia C&C in 2020.

As well as operating the Garden, The Alnwick Garden Trust provides a range of services supporting the most vulnerable in the community including the Elderberries Programme supporting over 70s experiencing isolation, a drug education programme combating drug misuse in the region and an education programme teaching younger people the importance of healthy eating.