Background to the National Trust (Fact)

The National Trust cares for over 248,000 hectares of countryside in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, plus almost 700 miles of coastline and more than 200 buildings and gardens of outstanding interest and importance. The vast majority are open to visitors.

A Council of 52 members, who are the trustees of the charity, manage the Trust. Trusteeship carries legal responsibilities and duties. The Council takes the key role in directing the affairs of the Trust to achieve its strategic objectives. It decides important questions of policy but in practice, delegates the day-to-day running of the Trust to an Executive Committee and to the Trust's full-time staff.

The Council appoints an Executive Committee. A majority of the members must be members of Council and all regional committee chairmen are ex-officio members of the Executive Committee. The Committee is entrusted with all the powers not reserved to the Council.

The Executive Committee in turn appointments the Properties Committee, the Finance Committee and Regional Committees.

The Finance Committee supervises all financial matters affecting the Trust and makes recommendations to the Executive Committee on them.

The Properties Committee keeps under review the policies and practices on the maintenance, conservation and presentation of Trust properties and makes recommendations to the Executive Committee on these matters.

Various expert panels give specialist advice to the Properties and Finance Committees.

The overall role of Regional Committees is to bring to the work of the Trust an awareness of the need for local emphasis in applying national policies and a feeling of regional diversity.

At the lowest level, there are local managers responsible for the day-to-day running of the Trusts property. Amongst their duties, is the recruitment and mentorship of the thousands of volunteers who take on a wide range of roles for the Trust.

Each property under the custodianship of the Trust has information needs that must be kept up to date to fulfil the day-to-day management, recording for security, and restoration of the structure and contents in the event of a disaster. The systems are also used extensively for academic research. In addition, it is must plan its long-term needs and be commercially viable.

As a commercial organisation, the Trust has large numbers of visitors to its properties. The visitors are, in some cases charged entrance fees, sold goods and provided with refreshment. Permanent and Holiday homes are rented. Woodlands are managed. Shooting and fishing rights are sold. Agricultural tenancies are let and controlled. Shows and special events are also held on Trust property, the organisers being charged commercial rates.

Specific local aspect of Case Study (Fictitious)

One property recently acquired by the Trust is Wivenhoe House in the grounds of Wivenhoe Park, a setting made famous by the artist John Constable. The House is a large country property of outstanding quality filled with valuable treasures. It is planned to open the House and Park to visitors. Shooting and fishing rights will be sold for the Park on an annual basis. There are also a number of cottages in the Park that will be renovated and then made available for short lets as holiday homes. The House and Park will also be made available for events such as craft fairs, open-air concerts, agricultural shows, weddings etc. A tea and gift shop has also been created for visitors to use. The Park had a nursery that grew a range of plants to support the upkeep of the estate. It is planned to expand the nursery into selling plants, some of which will be grown in the Park but others will be bought in together with a range of garden equipment. As is the case for most Trust properties, a large number of volunteers work at the location. All existing staff working in the House and Park are being offered the opportunity to work for the Trust.

Prepare a report of approximately 4000 words.