What we stand for

What we stand for is as relevant today as it was when we were founded all those years ago: looking after special places for ever, for everyone. With our busy lives and hectic schedules, we all need beauty and inspiration, fresh air and new experiences. We all need to be able to escape the everyday now and then, and enjoy some physical and spiritual refreshment. Extraordinary places do that. They can open new doors to exciting new experiences. Whether it's a breathtaking garden, a cliff-top walk, even a nose around John Lennon's childhood home, these experiences refresh, renew and stimulate our minds. And its not just places in our care, the outdoors and protection of heritage matters wherever it is.

We want people of all ages and backgrounds to get involved in our work and we want our properties to be at the centre of community life. We want school children to be amazed by their visit to a property. We want local communities to get their hands dirty and get involved. Whether that’s joining a course, going to a talk, watching a video online, volunteering at one of our places or making a donation to one of our appeals. Ultimately, we want everyone to enjoy and love these special places as much as we do. We want them to be seen as sources of enjoyment, with more open fires, pianos playing, kitchens cooking and fewer ropes and don’t touch signs. We want people of all ages to find adventure and inspiration in them, to enjoy their beauty and their incredible stories. Meanwhile, we’ll continue to speak up on the issues that matter, from food and farming to energy and climate change, from arts and heritage to green living and transport and tourism.