Prince Charles is closely involved with the work of the National Trust. He was Patron of the Trust's Centenary in 1995 and subsequently agreed to be President in succession to HM Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother.
In this capacity he takes a personal interest in all aspects of the Trust's work, hosting fund-raising events, meeting volunteers and visiting properties on a regular basis.
The National Trust in Prince Charles' own words:
"As President of the National Trust, I never cease to be amazed by the uniquely varied activity with which it is involved: it is custodian of an extraordinary range of our national heritage, from beautiful countryside and coastline, to fine gardens and country houses.
Yet the Trust is not only about the 'great and grand"'; it looks after many unexpected treasures too.
Properties like the exquisite sixteen-sided A La Ronde in Devon, or the last working spade mill, Pattersons, in Northern Ireland, or even The Workhouse at Southwell in Nottinghamshire, which reflects the day-to-day life of the very poorest in the 19th-century.
My late grandmother, the Queen Mother, was President of the National Trust for many years - and I was enormously proud to be her Vice-President. I was therefore delighted to become President in her place because the National Trust has meant a great deal to me over the years.
I believe I have become President at a very interesting time in the National Trust's history as it builds on its foundation in the 19th-century, its development in the 20th-century and now faces the new challenges of the 21st. It has to represent continuity, but also far-sightedness, just as the landscape gardeners of the 18th-century planned for the future as they laid out gardens like Stourhead and Croome Park, both now looked after by the Trust.
While there is an increased understanding and appreciation of precious landscape and architecture, there continues to be a growing concern about the impact of the constant expansion of urban areas, of roads and airports.
These twin concerns - the positive and the negative - are expressed in television and radio programmes, campaigns and protests, and also in the growing membership of the National Trust itself.
Some years ago it was believed that the Trust's membership would 'plateau', but in 2002-3 more members joined than at any time during the previous decade and membership, which reached three million in 2002, is growing still.
I believe that the Trust's work is no less important in the countryside: it owns some 250,000 hectares and has many farmers as tenants, often in the remotest parts of the country where farming is financially precarious. Here the Trust's mission to support local communities to maintain continuity, while conserving the natural environment for this and future generations to enjoy, is so vital.
During the horrors of the foot & mouth outbreak, the Trust played a particularly important role in helping its tenants through those bleak days. Since then, a range of initiatives has put the Trust at the forefront of encouraging the 'small family farmer': Whole Farm Plans,.local sourcing and the encouragement of farm shops - and other diversification - have been a great success.
I hope that, like me, inspired by this valuable organisation, you will have the opportunity of exploring the huge variety of beautiful places in the care of the National Trust.
Members will find some unexpected and new treasures, while others, I hope, discover a wealth of beauty and history on their doorstep and, as a result, perhaps be moved to support the work of the National Trust in preserving the best of our heritage for future generations to enjoy, and, you never know, even be inspired enough to understand the continuing need for an 'organic', sympathetic building tradition when it comes to the way we build the future heritage in our precious countryside today."
|
