National Trust urged to drop Barclays at Wentworth Castle and Longshaw

On Friday, August 2nd visitors to Longshaw sang songs and collected petitions calling on The National Trust to stop banking with Barclays. Then on Saturday, August 3rd visitors to Wentworth Castle also made a stir engaging visitors to call on the National Trust to dump Barclays. 

The group included members from Christian Climate Action and Extinction Rebellion who joined forces to urge the charity to drop Barclays, Europe’s biggest funder of fossil fuels. Some dressed as bees and participants ranged from children to grandparents.

Longshaw is famous for its spectacular views of the Peak District, ancient woods, parkland and moorland. Wentworth Castle is South Yorkshire’s only Grade I-registered landscape, encompassing a formal garden, historically important monuments and a folly. 

 Both are owned by the National Trust, which is the guardian of nature reserves, national parks, coastline, historic buildings and estates across the country.

Campaigners carried signs saying ‘Love National Trust, Not Barclays’, and engaged with families, handing out leaflets and collecting signatures for a petition calling on the charity to switch to a more ethical bank.

Colin who took part in the Wentworth action said: “In the 18th Century a Castle like this was a folly, for a rich man’s friends to have fun. In the 21st Century, it’s sheer folly to keep funding fossil fuels and climate change. So National Trust, drop Barclays”. 

Catherine from Christian Climate Action said “I have been donating to the National Trust for years. I didn’t realise that my money was going directly to Barclays, a bank that funds fossil fuels and arms which I am completely opposed to. I don’t want my money to support such horrors and I wish the National Trust would make more effort to cut ties with Barclays.”

Flying flags and a banner from the Castle turret was part of a week of colourful actions by campaigners across the country to urge the National Trust to ditch Barclays, which has poured $235.2 billion into fossil fuels in the last seven years.

Despite publishing a new energy policy at the start of this year, Barclays continues to finance fossil fuel companies such as Exxon Mobil and Royal Dutch Shell. In 2023 alone, Barclays provided $24.221 billion of financing to fossil-fuel companies. 

Their new energy policy was criticised widely for loopholes that allow them to continue supporting carbon-intensive industries such as fracking. Meanwhile, investigative journalists have discovered that Barclays’ “sustainable finance” funds pipelines and oil expansion projects. 

Recently, other institutions have announced their intentions to ditch Barclays for ethical reasons. Christian Aid and Oxfam have removed their funds from Barclays. Cambridge University is withdrawing its support for Barclays and is leading a group of universities and colleges that are investigating more sustainable financial products. Despite its commitment to natural conservation, the National Trust is lagging behind other charities within its sector. 

Jenny from Christian Climate Action said: “For me, the National Trust stands for beautiful scenery and lush landscapes. I visit sites regularly, they are a great way of getting out of the city, relaxing and enjoying nature with my children. So I’m very disappointed that an organisation like the National Trust doesn’t prioritise the value of nature in their banking choice. Barclays destroys nature with its horrific lending and investments in unethical industries. Knowing that I’m indirectly supporting Barclays spoils my trips to National Trust sites for me.”

Find out more about the national campaign and sign the petition here.

Read more about actions at other National Trust properties here.