National Trust
The National Trust works to preserve the buildings, countryside and coastlines of England, Wales and Northern Ireland. It does this through practical conservation, learning and discovery and by encouraging millions of people to visit and enjoy their national heritage.
Completely independent of the government, the National Trust is a registered charity that relies heavily on the generosity of its 3.5 million subscribing members, as well as visitors and volunteers.
Its income consists of membership fees, donations and legacies, in addition to revenue raised from its commercial operations, including restaurants, shops and holiday cottages.
Purpose
Founded in 1895 by three Victorian philanthropists who were concerned about the impact of uncontrolled development and industrialisation, the Trust was originally set up to act as “guardian” for the UK in the acquisition and protection of threatened coastlines, countryside and buildings.
Now, the Trust cares for:
• More than 700 miles of coastline across England, Wales and Northern Ireland
• Over 626,000 acres of countryside, moorland and beaches
• Historic properties including 215 houses and gardens, 40 castles, 76 nature reserves, 6 World Heritage Sites, 12 lighthouses and 43 pubs and inns
• Millions of treasured objects including 26 sets of samurai armour, an Oscar awarded to the Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw, and a photograph album the size of a postage stamp
The charity believes we should value historic places not just for their own sake, but for the opportunities they provide to support learning and skills development, promote wellbeing, stimulate creativity and innovation, involve people and communities, deepen understanding and learn from our past.
Education
The charity also has long-term programmes in place to help educate the public about the importance of the environment and of preserving our heritage for future generations.
It contributes to important debates about the future of the economy, the development of people’s skills and sense of community, and the quality of the local environment both in towns and the nation’s countryside.
The Trust invests more than £160 million per year in the UK’s environmental infrastructure and works with over 40,000 organisations, including 2,000 specialist conservation companies.
As well as visits, we are encouraged by the charity to avail of its National Trust holiday cottages, tea rooms and shops across England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
It is constantly looking into ways in which it can improve public access and on-site facilities at its sites.
The National Trust Credit Card
• £15 will go to the National Trust when you use your card within 90 days of opening your account
• After that, for every £100 you spend on card purchases the charity will receive 30p and £2.00 for every year you keep using the card
• 0% on balance transfers for 12 months (3% handling fee)
• 0% on money transfers from the card to your current account for 12 months (4% handling fee)
• 0% on card purchases for 3 months
• Save £5 when you use the card to spend £25 or more in National Trust Shops
• 16.9% APR typical rate