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Science/nature/environment

Calling all National Trust members

(13 Posts)
BOsullivan Mon 10-Oct-22 11:58:45

Hi all - I'm hoping you've all seen the amazing resolution on the ballot at the National Trust AGM this year?

It's resolution 6, and it's to support the National Trust to continue to protect British wildlife through all its business relationships.

Right now, the National Trust banks with Barclays which lends billions to companies who are trying to frack across the UK and destroy nature. That means National Trust money is inadvertently being used in contradiction of its main value to protect British nature.

The resolution asks for the Trust to engage with Barclays bosses over its environmental policy.

If we all vote FOR, it will help pressure Barclays to stop lending to nature destroyers. All National Trust members can vote online here for resolution 6

secure.cesvotes.com/V3-1-0/nt22/en/login?bbp=60909&x=-1

Skydancer Mon 10-Oct-22 15:13:06

I've received the purple booklet but find it confusing as the resolutions aren't numbered? Do you mean page 24?

M0nica Mon 10-Oct-22 16:05:57

There is a group called 'Restore Trust' who have tabled most of the resolutions and having done some investigation into them, I have avoided every motion they tabled.

They came on the scene a year or so ago and, although I searched high and low. I could not find any address for them or name of anyone who ran it or was involved in it. So I decided they were best avoided.

I have since discovered that the organisation is: A small group of highly committed and well-funded right-wing ideologues with a history of climate scepticism and lobbying against climate change policies are linked with attempts to take over one of the country’s most important national institutions, the National Trust. leftfootforward.org/2021/11/how-climate-sceptic-groups-are-linked-to-attempts-to-take-control-of-the-national-trust/

Go to the site and read all the information they have about this group and its leaders and financers and then be very careful which motions you vote for.

I suspect the motion the OP recommends would not be in keeping with the aims of 'Restore Trust' so does not emanate from them, In fact I am fairly sure I voted for it, because there was one motion at the end that was not NT approved, but was not put forward by 'Restore Trust' that i did vote for.

AreWeThereYet Mon 10-Oct-22 16:19:55

Why don't they change bank? Serious question.

M0nica Mon 10-Oct-22 16:48:23

Probably because they have decided that it would be so difficult to find a bank that didn't tick someones objection list would be so difficult, they might as well stay where they are.

BOsullivan Tue 11-Oct-22 10:05:23

The resolution is the one that refers to the National Trust's "banking arrangements". It was not filed by Restore Trust but by a group of members who care about nature and protecting it from profit-seeking corporations.

It asks the NT to engage with Barclays (instead of switching bank) so that Barclays commits to stopping the financing of all fossil fuel extraction by 2030. If it fails to agree to this, then the NT should find a greener bank.

BOsullivan Tue 11-Oct-22 10:07:03

Given NT's size as a client of Barclays they can wield a lot of power by asking Barclays to change its policies. If that fails, they should indeed find a new bank.

M0nica Tue 11-Oct-22 10:18:29

Barclays has so many clients many times the size of the NT and lose someof these clients every year for a variety of reasons. I think you are over estimating the NT's clout with its bank, BOSullivan I doubt they could do anything to affect Barclay's policy position. Their choice is between leave or stay.

Anyway, as a matter of interest, can you think of any bank that doesn't tick someone's 'dont deal with' list so would cause the NT even more problems with some members objecting to it, if they were to transfer.

BOsullivan Tue 11-Oct-22 10:46:27

M0nica

Barclays has so many clients many times the size of the NT and lose someof these clients every year for a variety of reasons. I think you are over estimating the NT's clout with its bank, BOSullivan I doubt they could do anything to affect Barclay's policy position. Their choice is between leave or stay.

Anyway, as a matter of interest, can you think of any bank that doesn't tick someone's 'dont deal with' list so would cause the NT even more problems with some members objecting to it, if they were to transfer.

It's a fair point. But whether you believe NT has any clout or not (although it doesn't take many big clients to effect change), this campaign and NT members voting for the resolution & NT leaving Barclays also has many other positive impacts: it creates a reputational risk for Barclays among its clients and customers. The bank deems this a financial risk according to its annual report and has changed its policies because of this in the past.

Triodos is a good green bank, but unfortunately not suitable for a client as large as NT

M0nica Tue 11-Oct-22 13:14:24

Precisely, the NT leaves Barclays, where do they go. they might as well stay where they are.

Katie59 Tue 11-Oct-22 16:08:31

The NT will think very hard before campaigning against government policy, as for Barclays, find a bank that is squeaky clean and not involved in any controversy.

GrannyGravy13 Tue 11-Oct-22 16:17:51

I have just done a quick search on GN and this is the only thread the OP is on.

Is there an agenda here?

M0nica Wed 12-Oct-22 09:30:24

That is what I suspect.