Appointing Bodies

Members of the National Trust Council sit at tables in a meeting room — A National Trust Council meeting in London | © National Trust Images/Arnhel de Serra

Our Council's Appointing Bodies are 18 organisations that are elected by National Trust members every six years. Learn about what they are and what they do.

About our Council and Appointing Bodies

Our Council is one of our two main governance bodies and plays an important role in how the National Trust is governed. The Council's key governance responsibilities are to appoint the Board of Trustees and hold it to account.

The Council is made up of 36 members, with 18 elected members and 18 appointed members from organisations (called Appointing Bodies) which have a connection to the Trust's work.

Our Appointing Bodies are 18 organisations that are elected by National Trust members every six years. The organisations generally operate in areas that are connected to our work, such as nature, conservation, heritage and volunteering.

Our current Appointing Bodies

In 2024 our members elected these organisations to appoint a Council member:

Action for Conservations
Council for British Archaeology (CBA)
English Heritage
The Gardens Trust
Historic Houses
Institute of Conservation (Icon)
Keep Britain Tidy
Marine Conservation Society
Museums Associations
National Farmers' Union of England and Wales (NFU)
Open Spaces Society
Ramblers
Royal Horticultural Society (RHS)
RSPB
Soil Association
Sustrans
The Wildlife Trusts
World Heritage UK

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About us

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Find out about us

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How we are run

Discover how the National Trust is run, how our governance arrangements are underpinned by Acts of Parliament and how they are designed to support and challenge our staff.

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Council

Find out how Council members are elected and how they make sure we’re delivering on our main responsibilities and tasks.

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Board of Trustees

Discover who sits on the National Trust's Board of Trustees, what experience they bring to the role and how they work together to meet the Trust's purpose.

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How governance appointments are made

Find out more about how we appoint the volunteers who oversee the governance arrangements of the National Trust, ensuring that we remain focused on achieving our mission.