The Big One Hundred turns the centenary of Winnie-the-Pooh into a once-in-a-generation programme of culture, conservation and community participation.
Backed by £500,000 from Wealden District Council, it harnesses Ashdown Forest’s global profile to inspire children, support communities and businesses, widen access to world-class culture and protect this extraordinary landscape for the next 100 years.
The centenary of A.A. Milne’s Winnie-the-Pooh presented us with a unique opportunity to harness global interest in the landscape that inspired the Hundred Acre Wood. Ashdown Forest is not only a world-renowned cultural destination but also a precious and protected environment, home to rare lowland heathland and threatened species.
Recognising that increased tourism could place pressure on the Forest, the project turns the anniversary into a lasting legacy: protecting nature, supporting the visitor economy and inspiring future generations.
The Big One Hundred aims to create a lasting 100-year legacy for Ashdown Forest and Wealden, using the cultural power of Winnie-the-Pooh to inspire greater understanding and protection of the Forest.
The programme seeks to increase reading for pleasure and connection with nature among children, deliver exceptional free cultural experiences, engage volunteers and communities, and spread economic and cultural benefits across the district. Activity extends into towns, high streets and visitor attractions, widening participation for all.
The project began by supporting The Ashdown Forest Foundation (TAFF) with £500,000 of funding, enabling an ambitious, locally rooted cultural programme to be developed.
TAFF commissioned Trigger, an award-winning creative organisation known for large-scale public art, to create the programme’s centrepiece.
An experienced creative team was assembled, including Jack Irving, best known for his costume designs for global icons including Lady Gaga and Katy Perry.
The result was Poppet, a technically ambitious living artwork operated simultaneously by ten performers. Inspired by Ashdown Forest’s landscape and protected species, its design was shaped by hundreds of ideas submitted by Wealden children, with the creature’s name itself coming from the ‘Design a Creature’ children’s competition.
The programme then moved into delivery, touring across Wealden. Poppet visited Ashdown Forest, Hailsham, Sheffield Park, Uckfield’s Weald on the Field festival and Herstmonceux Castle, bringing a high-quality cultural experience directly to communities, towns and visitor attractions.
Schools formed a key strand of delivery. All Wealden primary schools were invited to participate, with 15 schools taking up the offer. Creative workshops were delivered to 827 children, using creativity to explore messages around conservation and protecting Ashdown Forest. An Education Pack was also offered to every school, allowing teachers to continue the learning beyond the workshops.
The project also brought the celebration into Wealden’s high streets. Working with Chambers of Commerce and Town Councils, businesses across Crowborough, Heathfield, Hailsham, Uckfield and Polegate were invited to create themed window displays. Around 150 businesses participated, transforming ordinary shop windows into public art and encouraging people to explore local high streets.
Finally, the project created a lasting legacy for Ashdown Forest through six new signed walks of varying lengths. Each is named after a protected species from the Forest, including the adder, green tiger beetle and silver-studded blue butterfly.
Together, these deliverables connected art, education, conservation, communities and local economic activity, extending the project’s impact well beyond the original celebration.
The Big One Hundred has already demonstrated significant cultural, community and environmental impact. Its opening weekend attracted 2,617 ticket bookings, with 41% coming from local residents, while 15 primary schools and 840 children have engaged with the programme. The project has also mobilised 63 volunteers, eight community groups and 17 local and national partners, alongside around 150 high-street businesses participating across Wealden.
The programme has brought world-class cultural ambition into a rural district, making high-quality experiences accessible through the Forest, schools, high streets and free community events. This has generated significant national attention, with coverage from The Guardian, The Times and The Telegraph, alongside promotion by VisitBritain and recognition reported in the New York Times.
Its legacy extends beyond the centenary, with species-themed walks, education resources, volunteering and the Ashdown Forest 100 Year Legacy Fund designed to encourage long-term stewardship.
Further visitor and economic impact data is expected in October 2026, providing a fuller picture of the programme’s longer-term results.
