The National Trust has received the biggest cash donation in its 131-year history as philanthropist Humphrey Battcock has pledged £10m in unrestricted funding to the charity.
The gift has come a year into the National Trust’s 10-year strategy, in which the charity plans to “fundraise more in the next decade than in the previous century”, and as it celebrates its 131st anniversary.
Battcock, who recently received a CBE and is a trustee of charities including Teach First and the Centre for Homelessness Impact, said the National Trust represented “what is best about our society, preserving our shared heritage for all the people”.
“It was during a visit to Osterley Park and House that I witnessed first-hand the efforts that the trust has put in to ensuring people from all parts of our society have access to its attractions, where it cares for our history, nurtures our nature and makes the fullest use of their potential,” he said.
“I also visited trust-owned farms in north Devon and saw its emphatic commitment to sustainable food production.
“In making this donation, I want to emphasise that it is unrestricted; I will have no say over how the charity spends it – and that is because I trust the National Trust to know how best this money can be used.”
‘Huge boost’ for charity
The donation came after the charity reported financial difficulties recently, recording its costs rising by over £50m in 2024-25 to £811m, exceeding its income.
Around 500 members of staff took redundancy last year after the National Trust announced plans to save £26m from its annual wage bill.
Hilary McGrady, director-general of the National Trust, said the gift was a “huge boost” for her charity and stressed the importance of there being no restrictions on how it could be spent.
Excluding legacy donations, just 2.6% of the National Trust’s fundraising income is available to use without restrictions, the charity estimates.
McGrady said: “We believe the challenges we’re setting out to tackle through our new strategy will define our generation: we must halt the freefall decline in nature before it becomes irreversible; end unequal access to nature, beauty and history; and inspire millions more people to care for the world around them.
“As Europe’s largest conservation charity, the National Trust is uniquely placed to address these challenges, but we can’t underestimate the scale of the change that’s needed.
“That’s why every donation, from big individual gifts like the one we’re celebrating today, to smaller donations for specific appeals and the regular contributions of our 5.3 million members, is valued and needed.”
