“We can do bold things when people come together”: Giant response to appeal helps National Trust secure cherished Dorset landscape

The appeal, launched in early December last year and backed by Sir Stephen Fry, asked for public support in raising £330,000 toward the purchase and care of a 138‑hectare (340‑acre) site around the famous chalk figure.

Supporters locally and around the world immediately responded with donations of all sizes, from £1 to £32,000, helping the conservation charity to hit its target in just 60 days and purchase the parcels of land, equivalent in size to 190 football pitches. Donations came in from 20 countries, including Australia, Japan and Iceland.

Generous philanthropic gifts, grants and bequests over £2 million had kickstarted the project, with the appeal providing the final ‘piece of the puzzle’ to enable the land purchase to go ahead.

Sian Wilkinson, Head of Public Fundraising, said: “Every gift, however big or small, helped us to make this transformational purchase. We can now start creating a nature haven around the Giant, the next chapter in his long history. As part of our new strategy, we’re ramping up our work to restore nature, and this appeal shows we can do bold things when people come together.”

Hannah Jefferson, General Manager for West Dorset & Cranborne Chase, said: “Entering 2026, it’s amazing that we now have this opportunity to do so much more around the Cerne Abbas Giant.

"We were able to hit the target thanks to the generous donations made via the appeal, gifts from major donors, legacies, support from local businesses as well as grants, all knitting together to make this once-in-a-lifetime acquisition possible. We can now set about creating a patchwork or mosaic of habitats to help species adapt and thrive.”

Among these are 36 butterfly species, including the endangered Duke of Burgundy butterfly which survives at just six sites in Dorset, and whose numbers are in decline across the rest of England. By joining up parcels of land around the Giant’s lair, including a 59.5-hectare (147-acre) Site of Special Scientific Interest, the Trust will create 77 hectares (190 acres) of new habitat.

Work has already begun to recruit a local area ranger, who will lead National Trust staff, contractors and volunteers on next steps. The team will also be looking to work in partnership with organisations including Butterfly Conservation.

Hannah continued: “Now that the land is in our care, we’ll be getting to know the site and its opportunities, talking to the community about their aspirations and local knowledge, and applying for any relevant, additional grants to help us invest further in nature.”

In early summer, the Giant himself will be re-chalked, with help from 10 appeal donors who won the money-can't-buy experience as part of a Crowdfunder prize draw. The donors will join staff and volunteers to pack some 17 tonnes of chalk into the Giant’s vast outline, keeping weeds at bay and ensuring he remains visible for miles around for years to come.

The land purchase will also unlock new opportunities for archaeology, building on analysis in 2021 which found that the Giant was probably first carved in the Early Medieval period (770–1100 AD).

Archaeologist Steve Timms said: “The acquisition will provide an opportunity for archaeological research and investigation on a landscape scale. This will not only help us manage the land in the most appropriate way but also answer questions about the development of settlement and ritual activity over the area over several millennia.”

The appeal will remain open, with further contributions helping the Trust to restore the chalk grassland, plant trees and improve access across the landscape. Donations can be made at www.nationaltrust.org.uk/cerne-giant-appeal