A fundraising campaign backed by Sir David Attenborough has raised £30m to purchase the 9,500-acre Rothbury Estate in Northumberland. The Wildlife Trusts and Northumberland Wildlife Trust acquired the land, which includes Simonside Hills, 23 properties, and 12 working farms, to protect nature and support sustainable farming.
A successful £30m fundraising campaign, backed by Sir David Attenborough, has secured the future of The Rothbury Estate in Northumberland. The 9,500-acre landscape features the Simonside Hills and was originally put on the market in 2023 by Lord Max Percy, youngest son of the Duke of Northumberland.
Ownership of the entire estate has now passed to The Wildlife Trusts and Northumberland Wildlife Trust. Alongside the open hills, the purchase includes 23 properties and 12 working farms.
Public Support and Major Grants Drive the £30m Target
The campaign gained rapid momentum after Sir David’s involvement generated more than £1 million in donations during its first week. Donations from individual members of the public eventually surpassed £17 million, bolstered by grassroots contributions from local organizations such as the Rothbury WI and the Cycling Cranks cycling club.
Please RT 💚It is always good to start the day with some good news, and this is huge. The most ambitious fundraising appeal to date by The Wildlife Trusts and Northumberland Wildlife Trust has closed with the entire Rothbury Estate purchased. The estate is 9,500 acres, and… pic.twitter.com/pIqCO9FvKL
Major financial backers also pushed the appeal toward its goal. The National Lottery Heritage Fund contributed a £5 million grant, while the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pledged a £1.94 million grant to help the campaign reach its target. To cover any short-term funding gaps while waiting for pledged monies to arrive, the charities secured a low-interest loan to complete the purchase.
The Wildlife Trusts called for your support and you answered in your thousands. The appeal to secure the future of The Rothbury Estate in Northumberland has been successful and now the opportunity to bring the vision of a landscape where nature and people thrive side by side can become a reality.
Restoring Habitats and Launching Citizen-Science Projects Across Northumberland
With the acquisition complete, the charities are shifting their focus to large-scale habitat restoration and nature-friendly farming. Mike Pratt, chief executive of Northumberland Wildlife Trust, called the purchase a defining moment for the North East.
Preparation and preliminary research have already begun on sections of the land purchased in 2024. Local residents are being invited to participate in new citizen-science initiatives through the Northumberland Wildlife Trust website, which will include soil health testing, reptile surveys, and an autumn acoustic monitoring survey.
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