Frogmore House and Garden Open Day15 April 2019Visit the Frogmore House and Garden Open Day on 30th May and support children and young people living with juvenile arthritis (JIA). Frogmore House and Garden, the charming royal retreat set within Windsor Castle’s magnificent Home Park, will open to the public on 28, 29 and 30 May 2019 as part of the annual charity garden open days. One of the three charities that will benefit from the proceeds of this year’s open days is the National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society (NRAS). JIA-at-NRAS is a part of the NRAS. About Frogmore Garden and Open DayBuilt in the 17th century, Frogmore House became a royal residence in 1792 when it was purchased by Queen Charlotte, the wife of George III. Since then, successive monarchs have enjoyed the tranquil surroundings and delightful interiors. Although it is no longer an occupied royal residence, Frogmore House is frequently used by the Royal Family for private entertaining. The interior of Frogmore House bears testimony to the interests and talents of the generations of the royal family who have resided there. Queen Charlotte and her daughters’ passions for art and botany are reflected throughout the house, and works by the Duchess of Kent, who lived at Frogmore for almost 20 years, and those by her daughter Queen Victoria can be seen on display. May 2019 marks the 200th anniversary of the death of the renowned flower painter Mary Moser, who was commissioned by Queen Charlotte to decorate a room at Frogmore House with garlands of flowers simulating an arbour open to the skies. The room was said to have been Queen Charlotte’s favourite, and she commanded that it should thereafter be named The Mary Moser Room. The 35-acre gardens at Frogmore House are one of its most enduring attractions. First laid out for Queen Charlotte in the 1790s, they are based on a model ‘picturesque’ landscape. In 1867 Queen Victoria wrote, ‘this dear lovely garden…all is peace and quiet and you only hear the hum of the bees, the singing of the birds.’ The design and planting scheme of the gardens today incorporates additions made under the direction of Queen Victoria and Queen Mary, as well as a number of trees and shrubs added to mark Her Majesty The Queen’s Silver Jubilee in 1977. Today, visitors can enjoy gentle garden walks and views of Queen Victoria’s Tea House and the 18th-century lake. Thursday, 30 May – National Rheumatoid Arthritis SocietyThe National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society (NRAS) is the only patient-led organisation in the UK providing support and advocacy for the 400,000 adults living with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and the 12,000 children and young people living with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), serious, painful autoimmune conditions with no cure. The diseases impact quality of life massively for individuals and their families and can shorten life expectancy. NRAS’s mission is to support everyone living with RA and JIA, to be their first choice for reliable information and to empower all to take control of their condition. NRAS also works with government and key stakeholders including the NHS, British Society for Rheumatology and NICE to improve standards and access to best care for all. To book tickets for the garden at Frogmore House on Thursday, 30 May, visit www.nras.org.uk/frogmore2019. Ailsa Bosworth, MBE, Chief Executive and Founder of the National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society (NRAS), said, “We are thrilled to be offered the opportunity to host the garden open day on 30 May in the grounds of Frogmore House. In our 18th year, as a charity in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, we are truly delighted to have been selected this year to benefit from this open day. The funds raised on the day will contribute to the vital services we provide including our helpline, peer-to-peer support by phone, online community forum, wide ranging publications, disease self-management patient training courses, patient information events, community groups and educational webinars and videos. The open day will also be a wonderful day out for family and friends to appreciate the beautiful historical gardens.” Go to Booking Page on NRAS website