How we're improving access to nature with Starling Bank

Two smiling children on a swing in the garden at Osterley Park and House, London — Children on a swing in the garden at Osterley Park and House, London | © National Trust Images/Rob Stothard

We’ve launched a three-year partnership with Starling Bank to help more people access nature, both now and in the future.

We estimate that more than 1 million people will be able to benefit from improved access to nature thanks to the partnership.

Starling Bank will be supporting a family-focused Summer of Play programme, nature workshops for school children, and free access passes through their refer-a-friend scheme. They'll also fund vital conservation work to help halt the decline in wildlife and protect our wild landscapes.

Starling Bank customers will also be able to benefit from a range of offers as our partnership progresses.

Summer of Play

During summer 2023, more than 173 of the places we care for will take part in the Summer of Play, which is exclusively sponsored by Starling Bank. Summer of Play invites families of all ages to experience the houses, gardens and outdoor spaces we look after in new and exciting ways.

The activities on offer will have a festival feel with designated areas for outdoor games and experiences. Kids and adults alike can let their imaginations run wild with costumes and role play, put their skills to the test with art and music activities, and give new (and old) sports a go with croquet, tennis and egg and spoon races.

Starling Bank customers who have a Starling Kite kids debit card will also be able to get a free kids lunch at one of our cafés when they visit one of the places we look after during the Summer of Play. Information on how to claim this offer is available on Starling Bank's website.

Two children crouching down and and enjoying gardening activities in the Kitchen Garden at Osterley Park and House, London — Enjoying gardening activities in the Kitchen Garden at Osterley Park and House, London | © National Trust Images/Rob Stothard

Connecting children to nature

Starling Bank will also be working with us to fund nature workshops for primary and secondary school children who otherwise struggle to access outdoor spaces. These workshops will provide opportunities for the children to experience nature first-hand and learn about how we can protect the environment and wildlife for future generations.

We estimate that more than 6,000 children will be able to take part in these workshops thanks to the funding from Starling Bank.

Refer-a-friend day passes

The partnership will benefit adults as well as children and young people. Starling Bank will be offering individual day passes to visit the places in our care through their refer-a-friend scheme. If a Starling Bank customer refers a friend and they open an account with Starling Bank, both the customer and their friend will be able to visit a place we look after for free.

Protecting precious peatlands

Funding from Starling Bank will also be used to deliver projects taking action to restore peatlands in the UK, which aim to restore up to 37.5 hectares of peat over three years – the equivalent of approximately 52 standard UK football pitches.

80 per cent of UK peatlands are in a degraded state but these hugely important environments provide a rich and diverse home to rare and threatened wildlife, represent one of our most important carbon stores, and play a vital role in water regulation and flood management.

We’re on a mission to net zero, and our partnership with the National Trust means we can invest in more sustainability projects across the UK. We’re also passionate about giving children the opportunity to explore nature, by investing in a programme to bring nature to children from inner city schools who otherwise struggle to access it.

A quote by Rachel Kerrone Brand Director at Starling Bank

A man and child explore the ruins of Fountains Abbey. The man is holding the little girl as they look up at the stone walls of the abbey.

Enjoy some family fun

Looking for places the whole family will enjoy? Discover family-friendly cycling trails, places to get closer to nature and historic buildings where you can learn about the past.

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