The National Trust has been the target of a week of sustained protest

The National Trust has once again been the target of protests – this time, over its links to Barclays and the bank’s climate-wrecking policies.

The National Trust: stop banking on Barclays

On Tuesday 30 July, members of Christian Climate Action, Extinction Rebellion, and National Trust members held a peaceful protest at Prior Park, calling on the National Trust to stop banking with Barclays.

They held up placards on the iconic Palladian Bridge to urge the charity to drop Barclays Bank, Europe’s biggest funder of fossil fuels:

Prior Park Landscape Gardens is one of hundreds of sites owned by the National Trust, which is the guardian of nature reserves, national parks, coastline, historic buildings and estates across the country.

Protestors carried banners and placards saying “Love National Trust, Not Barclays”, and engaged with visitors to the site, handing out leaflets calling on the charity to switch to a bank which does not fund fossil fuels:

Dave Mitchell, a retired software developer, said:

As a member of the National Trust I am deeply concerned that my money is going directly to Barclays Bank, a bank that funds fossil fuels and arms and so many other things that I am completely opposed to. I don’t want my money to support such a horrific business and I call on the National Trust to cut ties with Barclays.

Andrea Mackay, a retired teacher, said:

I greatly admire the way the National Trust is striving to be more inclusive and to engage with its past. I hope it can now be just as courageous in turning its back on Barclays Bank, the biggest financier of fossil fuels in Europe.

Hilary Farey, a retired GP, said:

Although it might be a nuisance to change banks, I hope that the National Trust can see from all the actions this week how important it is to send a strong message to Barclays bank that enabling fossil fuel companies to continue business as usual with all the evidence of climate breakdown around us is unacceptable.

A week of action at National Trust sites

The protest is part of a week of colourful actions by campaigners across the country to urge the National Trust to ditch Barclays, which has poured $235.2 billion into fossil fuels in the last seven years.

People were taking action at Bathampton Meadows – by punting:

At Gibside Chapel people were out demonstrating:

And at Fountains Abbey, the Red Rebels were out in force:

Groups taking part in the National Trust campaign include Tipping Point, Christian Climate Action, Parents for Future, Money Rebellion, Extinction Rebellion, and others.

Barclays: notorious

Despite publishing a new energy policy at the start of this year that it hailed as a step towards a “science-based” approach towards “financing the transition”, Barclays continues to finance infamous fossil fuel companies such as Exxon Mobil and Royal Dutch Shell. In 2023 alone, Barclays provided $24.221 billion of financing to fossil fuel companies. 

Their new energy policy was criticised widely for loopholes that allow them to continue supporting carbon-intensive industries such as fracking. Meanwhile, investigative journalists have discovered that Barclays’ “sustainable finance” funds pipelines and oil expansion projects. 

Recently, other institutions have announced their intentions to stop banking with Barclays for ethical reasons. Christian Aid and Oxfam have removed their funds from Barclays already. Cambridge University is withdrawing its support for Barclays and is leading a group of universities and colleges that are investigating more sustainable financial products.

Despite its commitment to natural conservation, the National Trust is therefore lagging behind other charities and thought leaders within its sector. 

Featured image and additional images supplied