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National Trust Membership reduction for loyal members

(20 Posts)
ChrisCross Sun 22-Jan-17 16:14:40

I recently learned that if you have been a member of the National Trust for 5 years you qualify for a loyalty reduction in membership fees. I initially thought it was only for the over 60's but it's actually a loyalty reward but they don't seem to advertise it anywhere - I wonder why!
You have to phone them when your membership is due and ask. I got our our £105 annual membership down to £78. Good result I think!

whitewave Sun 22-Jan-17 16:16:42

Oh I didn't know that!!!! I've been a member for donkeys. Due in June will give them a nudge. Cheers!!

Rinouchka Sun 22-Jan-17 16:20:28

Thank you Chriscross for this information. We have also been members for decades and will enquire re loyalty discount.

J52 Sun 22-Jan-17 16:35:09

It's cheaper to join the National Trust for Scotland. You can still use your membership in English NT places.

chocolatepudding Sun 22-Jan-17 16:48:55

May I second what J52 has posted. I think I paid £60 for this year for a couple over 60 with the National Trust for Scotland. You receive a free parking permit to display and are welcome without question at National Trust properties.

varian Sun 22-Jan-17 16:57:03

We have been NT members for the best part of fifty years. I wish we had had the foresight - and the money, to have taken out life membership when we first joined!

grannypiper Sun 22-Jan-17 17:28:19

Both the Scottish NT and the NT membership can used in many countries through out the world

varian Sun 22-Jan-17 17:42:17

One of my daughters, who lived in the Isle of Man, took out a ten year family membership of Manx National Heritage, which I think at the time cost about £300 and gave them reciprocal membership of the National Trust and Scottish National Trust. Her family lives in England now and they do make good use of it.

Izabella Sun 22-Jan-17 19:15:52

Useful tip about NT Scotland. Thanks for that.

Izabella Sun 29-Jan-17 20:02:16

Update; joined NT Scotland saving a lot of money and obtained an
English NT handbook from a friend.

Cherrytree59 Sun 29-Jan-17 22:52:46

Izabelle* we will join NT Scotland when our NT England runs out.
On google NT New Zealand is even cheaper!!

Izabella Mon 30-Jan-17 19:25:05

Yes and you can visit all sorts of places in NZ as a member too.

chelseababy Fri 31-Mar-17 12:00:28

Following advice on GN I've just received my NT for Scotland pack and passes. The car park permit says for free parking at NT for Scotland properties. Has anyone used it it England? Also there is no information about using cards in England or abroad - is this only available online?
Beginning to wonder if this was a good idea!

J52 Fri 31-Mar-17 12:48:51

We use our Scottish NT cards in England, all the time and have never had a problem. Sometimes they also have a reciprocal agreement with English Heritage.

chelseababy Fri 31-Mar-17 13:21:06

Thanks J52. Do you know if you can use the car parking permits in England?

chocolatepudding Fri 31-Mar-17 14:23:38

We are members of the National Trust for Scotland and have always used our membership cards and the car parking permit without question here in England. Last Tuesday we had a wonderful day at Blickling Hall in Norfolk where the conservation workers were demonstrating their work to visitors.....and the Hall has a very large secondhand bookshop.

chocolatepudding Fri 31-Mar-17 14:30:42

One further point if you have a friend with NT membership ask them if you could have an old (out of date) copy of the National Trust Handbook to refer to instead of having to look everything up on line. You may find a copy in a charity shop.

Rinouchka Fri 31-Mar-17 14:54:51

Actually, if you present your National Trust card in France or Italy at equivalent nationally owned houses/palaces/castles/sites, you may be eligible for reduced entry fee. We have done this on several occasions, mostly successfully. It's worth a try!

chelseababy Sun 30-Apr-17 16:59:49

Visited Quebec House and Chartwell yesterday with Scottish N T card and was advised that from next April (March?) - will have to pay for parking. They were aware how much cheaper it was than the English NT and seems this is to discourage English residents from joining.

NfkDumpling Sun 30-Apr-17 17:38:40

So glad you enjoyed Blickling chocolatepudding, I volunteer there and love the place. I can't go at the moment and am getting homesick for it. Conservation on Tuesday's is new for this year and the bookshop is renowned! Did you get to see the bluebell woods?

This year the NT are putting new car park pay machines in and the price has gone up to £5 at Blickling. I don't know if this is general. Makes joining even more attractive. Four NT house visits is the average to get your money back - or volunteer at your local stately pile and get in free!

We still keep our joint membership going and only discovered the loyalty membership discount a few years ago. I do tell everyone if the opportunity arises!