A record intake of young people have signed up to the National Trust over the past 12 months, with more than 50,000 aged 18 to 25 joining the charity.
Figures from the organisation's annual report, published on Monday, reveal that 50,600 new young members enrolled between March 2025 and February 2026 – representing a 26 per cent annual rise.
This builds on the previous year's record total, when 40,200 young adults took out memberships.
"The surge in young people joining a conservation charity is good news for nature and good news for heritage," said Rene Olivieri, chairman of the National Trust.
"I’m thrilled that so many young people want to be part of this cause."
Designed for 18 to 25-year-olds, the discounted membership costs £4.20 a month or £50.40 annually, which is half the price of an adult tier.
According to the charity’s data, Stourhead in Wiltshire, Calke Abbey in Derbyshire, and Attingham Park, near Shrewsbury, were the three most popular sites visited by young members in the last financial year.
Calke Abbey has seen another uptick in visitors this year, the National Trust said, since the March release of the Peaky Blinders film The Immortal Man – which was shot there.
The report's publication comes ahead of the beginning of the annual Heritage Open Days festival, which gives members of the public an opportunity to sneak behind secret doorways and have one-off tours of popular sites for free.
Starting on Friday, the festival continues until 20 September and the National Trust said many of its sites will offer free entry during that period.
As Mr Olivieri celebrated the boost in numbers of 18 to 25-year-olds joining the charity, he also warned of the declining natural world young people are inheriting.
“Young people in the UK are inheriting a declining natural world and many are facing diminishing cultural opportunities due to decisions made by generations before them,” said Mr Olivieri.
“We owe it to them to put that right and make nature and culture part of every young person’s life, whether that’s at the places we care for or outside them.
“That’s going to mean working harder to reach young people where they are and engaging them on their terms.
“Heritage Open Days is a good place to start, and I’d encourage everyone, of every age, to get out this weekend and embrace their local buildings, parks, pools, libraries, high streets and museums.”
Claudia Hayes, a 25-year-old National Trust collections and house officer, runs the History with Claudia social media accounts and has more than 10,000 followers on Instagram.
She said: “It’s fantastic that we’ve seen another big increase in young members. It proves that this isn’t a fleeting interest, it’s a growing trend, and it confirms what I hear from young people on social media every day: that they’re excited by history and heritage and they want to get involved.
“This type of participation is so important.
“Because if we can engage young people now and get them to form positive associations with heritage and nature, then they will be more likely to care for these things in future.”
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