Always on
This project successfully funded on 30th October 2025, you can still support them with a donation.
This project successfully funded on 30th October 2025, you can still support them with a donation.
Help Frogmore Paper Mill reach Net Zero with hydro, solar & ground-source energy—powering heritage sustainably for the future.
🌿 Powering Heritage, Inspiring the Future
Who We Are
Frogmore Paper Mill, in Apsley, Hertfordshire, is the world’s oldest mechanised paper mill — the birthplace of continuous paper production in 1803. Today, we are a registered charity and museum, run by a small team of staff, trustees, and over 40 dedicated volunteers. Together, we keep this internationally important site alive through tours, education programmes, and community events.
But we are more than a museum: Frogmore Paper Mill is a living, working site where innovation meets heritage. Our mission is to celebrate history while inspiring a greener, more sustainable future.
Our Vision
We want to transform Frogmore Paper Mill into a Net Zero heritage site. Just as the River Gade once powered the mill’s historic machines, we now want to explore how renewable energy — hydro, solar, and ground-source heat exchange — can power our future.
This project isn’t only about cutting costs and carbon. It’s about showing schoolchildren, families, engineers, and visitors that heritage and sustainability go hand-in-hand. Imagine walking through a 19th-century paper mill and seeing 21st-century green technology in action.
Why This Matters
Heritage sites face rising energy costs and increasing pressure to reduce their carbon footprint. By investing in sustainable energy, Frogmore Paper Mill can:
🌊 Harness the River Gade for hydro power
☀️ Capture the sun with solar panels
🌍 Use the earth’s natural heat with ground-source exchange
💡 Inspire future generations with working green tech
💷 Reduce our operating costs, helping us remain open for all
How We’ll Use Your Support
We are raising funds for a professional feasibility study into renewable energy options at Frogmore Paper Mill. This expert study will:
Measure the river’s flow and assess hydro potential
Evaluate turbine, solar, and ground-source options
Identify environmental and planning requirements
Provide the evidence we need for future grants and installation
Your donation will directly fund this study, which is the essential first step to achieving Net Zero.
Our Team
Trustees – Committed to safeguarding the site and shaping its future
Staff – Passionate about heritage, education, and sustainability
Volunteers – From engineers to educators, they give thousands of hours each year to keep Frogmore thriving
Together, we’ve rebuilt after floods and even a devastating fire in 2022. With your help, we’ll build a greener, stronger future too.
“Frogmore Paper Mill is a hidden gem that connects our industrial past with the challenges of today. Supporting this project is supporting the future.” – Local Visitor
“As a volunteer, I’ve seen how passionate this team is. Net Zero at Frogmore will inspire every child who walks through the door.” – Volunteer
Join Us
Frogmore Paper Mill has always been powered by water and innovation. With your help, we can once again turn the power of nature into progress — and show how heritage sites can lead the way to Net Zero.
👉 Donate today and help us power the future sustainably.
Funding method
Keep what you raise – this project will receive all pledges made