FRIENDS OF
RAINFORD HALL

We seek to achieve this by:

THE PILKINGTON FAMILY

Rainford Hall (Estate) was purchased by the iconic family brand of Pilkington Glass, and became home to Colonel Richard Pilkington and his family in 1885, during the expansion of the Glass Manufacturing Industry in St Helens in the Victorian era.

Still owned by the Pilkington Family, Rainford Hall Estate continues to live and breathe the families absolute commitment to St Helens and local communities, ensuring that local business, agriculture, employment and preservation of the environment is sustained for the future. This commitment has never changed and forms the bedrock of the family’s core values to the present day.

Steps Together enjoy both a commercial tenant and landlord relationship, whilst also being fully supported by the Pilkington Family in our endeavours to uphold these traditions locally; enabling our work to contribute to the wider economy of St Helens and the region, local employment and the improvement in the health, well-being and sustainability of our local communities and businesses.

WORLD OF GLASS – ST HELENS

The town of St Helen’s placed host to some of Britain’s most iconic household and manufacturing brands during the 18th & 19th Century, and is best known for Glass Manufacturing, leading the market for this industry in Victorian times. One important glass manufacturer, Pilkington is still headquartered in St Helens, producing the UK’s entire output of float glass – now a routine product in car windscreens, double glazing and more.

The World of Glass (charitable museum) was officially opened by Sir Anthony Pilkington in 2000, following the £1m restoration of the Grade II listed Pilkington’s Jubilee Cone, a brick cone structure built in 1887 to house the first ever continuous glass making furnace. Following this restoration, the Pilkington’s, supported by the local Council, converted this now redundant factory space into a charitable museum to house its historic glass collection. The visitor centre has gone beyond simply showcasing the historic glass collection of Pilkington’s, and now plays host to a museum that showcases the history of St Helens, an education centre for young people, a space for local artists to exhibit and retail their works, a café and an opportunity for the public to enjoy the craft of glass blowing.

Rainford Hall provided the ancestral family home of the Pilkington Family in 1885, during the emergence of one of the Borough’s most extensive local employers. Steps Together remain committed to The World of Glass and have introduced a small hand blown glass and local artist display for our clients to routinely purchase, or simply enjoy at Rainford Hall – Bringing Glass back to the ancestral home of this iconic family.

Beyond this, our clients can routinely enjoy excursions to The World of Glass Museum, and experience a private demonstration in the traditional craft of Glass Blowing, whilst enjoying the many visitor attractions on offer at the Museum.

ELEPHANT COLLECTIVE

Established on the Wirral in 2012, Elephant Collective offer a range of family run, community entrenched coffee bar and restaurant services.

In 2022, this home grown business grew to develop its own (employee owned and operated) ethical and sustainable coffee roasting business.

Working closely with Steps Together at Rainford Hall, our two organisations have developed an exciting, and delicious range of coffee blends especially for Rainford Hall – now providing our clients with their own unique range of Rainford Hall coffee blends to enjoy at breakfast, in the privacy of their own room, or in company of other clients.

All of the coffee products for Rainford Hall, are carefully made to ensure an environmentally sustainable range of coffee pods and own blend ground coffees, with beans sourced from some of the world’s most ethical growers.

MARSDEN & WHITTLE

One of the region’s most upcoming brands in the world of Room Fragrances, and exquisite perfumed body care products, Marsden & Whittle are truly established on traditional family roots.

Established by founder Matthew Weaver, the inspiration for this brand was wholly inspired by Matthews Grandparents, whose love of exquisite scents and fragrances inspired Matthew to create his new company.

Matthew and his team, have worked carefully alongside Rainford Hall’s passionate housekeeping department, to to develop an unique blend of Room Scents and Bathroom Personal Care Products, that emulate the very essence of Rainford Hall Estate – boasting seasonal fragrances that capture the very essence of nature, bringing the tranquillity of the outside in, and ensuring a range of seasonal fragrances, that echo the homely comfort and luxury sanctuary of Rainford Hall.

SPORTING CHANCE

Sporting Chance was established over two decades by England and Arsenal football legend Tony Adams MBE. Our charity provides mental health and addiction services to the world of professional sport across the country.

Our clients demand a first class service delivered with complete discretion and confidentiality. Sporting Chance has partnered with Steps Together for over five years now and have always found the service to be first class, we were delighted with the opening of Rainford Hall which has added an excellent facility to the Steps Together group. We have had a very positive experience of our firsts placements here.