CCA is asking members of the National Trust to compel its trustees to seek a bank which has a moral and ethical outlook, by voting for a motion that has been tabled for the Trust’s AGM on 7 November. Online voting is open, and will close at 11.59pm on 30 October. At issue is the commitment of charity’s leadership in relation to climate harm.

The motion states: “This meeting demands that the Trustees instruct our finance officers to begin a competitive tendering process for banking arrangements as soon as practicable. The criteria used must seek a bank which has a moral and ethical outlook in keeping with National Trust core values, and whose corporate lending and underwriting practices demonstrate a positive commitment to safeguarding biodiversity and reducing human-induced climate change.”

Barclays is undermining the Trust’s conservation mission by channelling billions of pounds into fossil-fuel expansion. Data shows that Barclays arranged billions in finance for fracking operations and methane gas pipelines across North America. In August 2026 Barclays arranged a $40 billion rolling debt programme for energy multinational BP, closely followed by the oil giant securing new extraction rights in Venezuela. Furthermore, during a summer marked by severe droughts and wildfires across the south of England, Barclays acted as a key arranger for a $750 million bond deal for Harbour Energy, the UK’s largest independent North Sea oil producer.

The National Trust’s Board of Trustees states in the AGM papers, that it supports the resolution, and that the proposal to undertake a competitive tender process is, in principle, consistent with good governance and procurement practice. They therefore “recommend that members vote for the resolution”.

Drew James, who is leading our CCA campaign on this, says: “Our intention is to honour the values of the National Trust’s founders, and to acknowledge the significant link between Barclays investment banking and the depletion of nature in the UK. As Christians, we’re duty bound to love and respect the gift of creation.”

Drew, a long-term member of the National Trust, first tabled a motion in 2022, which failed. Under the Trust’s governance rules, a resolution cannot be resubmitted until three years have passed, but in the interim, he and other CCA people have been attending and asking questions at each AGM. As momentum built, we a deeply grateful that a network of committed support from beyond CCA also grew. In 2024, they proposed a resolution for the National Trust to place more resources into climate adaptation and mitigation. This was backed by National Trust trustees and secured a majority vote. That motion opened the door for the National Trust to have some direct conversations with senior management at Barclays with the National Trust considering that engagement with the bank was the way forward. 

However, as we’ve been saying throughout those years, engagement isn’t making any progress at all towards Barclays reducing their climate investments as is clear from both the data and their recent pronouncements. 

CCA are not asking the National Trust to do something that’s extraordinary, or inappropriate. All charities should be reviewing their banking arrangements periodically. We’re simply asking them to do it in a way that brings in a more ethical bank. The level of complexity involved in running an organisation like the National Trust would make its action particularly significant. We hope it this will raise awareness in the Church. As Drew reminds us, if the National Trust can now find it within their means to re-tender for more ethical banking services, why not our churches, our cathedrals, and why not our diocese?

The results of the National Trust vote are due to be announced at the AGM in Swindon, on 7 November.  

As part of our campaign, Drew is organising a walk on Friday 6th through the surrounding Neolithic landscape which will include visits to nearby National Trust sites.  If you would like to join this, please email us at christianclimateaction@gmail.com

And finally thank you to everyone who took part in our “We love the National Trust not Barclays campaign” over the summer. We loved seeing your photos.