National Trust
A wonderful gift for those who love historic houses, stunning gardens and beautiful places
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The National Trust has big conservation responsibilities: it protects and opens to the public over 350 historic houses and gardens, it cares for 600,000 acres of countryside and 700 miles of coastline. It looks after forests, woods, fens, beaches, farmland, downs, moorland, islands, archaeological remains, castles, nature reserves, villages - for ever, for everyone and looks to strengthen a sense of belonging and connection.
Join, & treat yourself or a loved one and you'll help preserve & protect some of the UK's most beautiful & historic places and help in the work the National Trust does, such as its project to revive traditional orchards across England or to work on the successful reintroduction of the Large Blue butterfly. The National Trust receives no government funding - it depends on donations, memberships, legacies & income from its commercial operations.
Although membership packs can take up to 3 weeks to be delivered, there's a temporary admission card you can use to start making the most of membership straight away. Gift membership packs can either come to you or go directly to the recipient. There are different levels of membership available including Family, Joint, Child, Young Person and Life
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Value for money?
Well, prices start at £37.88 for the year for a single adult if you by direct debit. I think that's an incredible deal, either for yourself (treat yourself to some chill time away from life's routine), and some time to simply stand & stare, or to give a loved one to the same opportunity.
The National Trust web site says you're never more than 40 minutes from a great day out - in Sussex alone, we have such gems as Petworth House with its amazing art collection & fantastic deeer gardens, Nymans Gardens, Wakehurst Place (outstanding botanical gardens), Standen (an arts & crafts family home), Monk's House (the country retreat of novelist Virginia Woolf), Alfirston Clery House & Devil's Dyke, while slightly further away, I know it takes me about 45 minutes to get to Sir Winston Churchill's home of Chartwell (the views there are just incredible), Quebec House (which tells the wonderful story of General James Wolfe who won the Battle of Quebec for the Brits back in 1759 I think it was), & Igtham Mote, a beautiful 14th century moated manor house. I could go on and on - but this is just Sussex, and there will be lots more places for you and/or a loved one to enjoy closer to you.
The National Trust has an amazing 3.6 million members and 55,000 volunteers who gave 2.3 million hours in 2007/08. Over 14 million people visit the pay for entry properties, while an estimated 50 million visit the open air properties - that's a staggering amount of interest in preservation & conservation. Your gift membership can help the National Trust continue its work to conserve and preserve, to strengthen our sense of belonging and connection with the past and the natural world around us, and to ensure that our children & their children will have stunning places to go and enjoy.
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