Restore Trust

{{Short description|British political advocacy group}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2025}} {{Use British English|date=February 2025}} {{Infobox organization | name = Restore Trust | logo = Restore Trust logo.png | logo_size = 100px | logo_alt = Restore Trust logo | logo_caption = | image = | image_size = | image_alt =  | caption = | named_after = National Trust | type = Advocacy group | status =  | purpose = Campaigning against changes to visitor experiences at National Trust properties | coordinates =  | region_served = England and Wales | key_people = | main_organ =  | affiliations = | website = {{Official URL}} | bodystyle = }} '''Restore Trust''' is a British political advocacy group, founded in 2021, which seeks to change policies of the National Trust.<ref name=telegraph>{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2022/08/19/rejoin-national-trust-save-wokery/|work=The Daily Telegraph|title=Rejoin the National Trust to save it from wokery|first=Zewditu|last=Gebreyohanes|date=19 August 2022|access-date=14 September 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.restoretrust.org.uk/about-us|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230801235747/https://www.restoretrust.org.uk/about-us|archive-date=1 August 2023|work=Restore Trust|title=About Us|access-date=14 August 2023}}</ref> Restore Trust has made an effort to refocus the charity to carry out what it perceives as "its core purpose".<ref name=telegraph/> While Restore Trust's organisers have encouraged their supporters to join the National Trust/remain members,<ref name=telegraph/> they criticise the Trust's work on rewilding and social inclusion which they consider to be "woke".<ref name=guardian1>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/oct/31/national-trust-set-for-fresh-battle-over-culture-wars|website=The Guardian|title=National Trust AGM set for fresh battle over culture wars|first1=Ben|last1=Quinn|first2=Helena|last2=Horton|date=31 October 2022|access-date=14 September 2023}}</ref> At the time Restore Trust was founded the National Trust experienced a dip in membership,<ref>{{Cite news |date=2024 |title=Mixed bag as National Trust sees drop in memberships but jump in visitors |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/national-trust-membership-price-increase-b2605684.html |access-date=December 15, 2025}}</ref> which Restore Trust tended to attribute to the charity having lost its way rather than alternative explanations such as the impact of COVID-19.{{cn|date=December 2025}}

The Board consists of chairman Cornelia van der Poll, Jack Hayward and Philip Gibbs.

==Campaigns== Restore Trust has been seen as part of the backlash against a report commissioned by the National Trust from Corrine Fowler on colonialism and historic slavery.<ref name="Guardian">{{cite news |last=Quinn |first=Ben |title=Insurgents to bring war on 'wokeness' to National Trust AGM |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/oct/01/insurgents-bring-war-wokeness-national-trust-agm |work=The Guardian |date=1 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240505230633/https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/oct/01/insurgents-bring-war-wokeness-national-trust-agm |archive-date=5 May 2024|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="BT"/> The report, which was published in 2020, detailed the connections that 93 historic places in the care of the National Trust have with colonialism and historic slavery. The report took the view that the acknowledgement and interpretation of difficult histories was to be preferred to suppressing them. Some of the properties chosen were contentious, for example Chartwell, the former home of Winston Churchill, which was included in the report because of Churchill’s deep involvement with the British Empire and its colonial policies.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2020 |title=National Trust details links to slavery and colonialism at 93 properties |url=https://www.museumsassociation.org/museums-journal/news/2020/09/national-trust-details-links-to-slavery-and-colonialism-at-93-properties/# |access-date=December 10, 2025 |website=Museums Association}}</ref>

Speaking in 2021, National Trust director Hilary McGrady, who received death threats over the report,<ref>{{cite news |last1=Gregory |first1=Andy |title=National Trust boss received ‘completely bizarre’ death threats over slavery report |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/national-trust-slavery-hilary-mcgrady-b2677357.html |access-date=10 December 2025 |work=The Independent |date=10 January 2025 |language=en}}</ref> described the timing of its publication and "allowing it to be conflated" with Black Lives Matter as having been her "biggest mistake".<ref>{{Cite web |title=A matter of trust |url=https://www.slow-journalism.com/long-reads/a-matter-of-trust |access-date=December 10, 2025}}</ref> Other heritage organisations which have drawn attention to slavery appear not to have attracted so much negative publicity. A case in point is the Historic England website which has been giving information about slavery and its abolition since before the Fowler report.<ref name="HE">{{Cite web |title=Church built with profits from the Slave Trade, Ayot St Lawrence, Hertfordshire |url=https://historicengland.org.uk/education/schools-resources/educational-images/church-built-with-profits-from-the-slave-trade-ayot-st-lawrence-hertfordshire-ioe01-15021-30 |access-date=December 15, 2025 |website=Historic England}}</ref>

Restore Trust has a more conservative approach to presentation of historic buildings, collections, gardens and countryside to the public. Zewditu Gebreyohanes, a former director of Restore Trust, called the Fowler report "a negative and guilt-ridden view of Britain’s past". Restore Trust has opposed the introduction of what it terms "ephemeral trends", "political activism" and "wokeness" to visitor experiences (in particular the presentation of colonialism and slavery);

Restore Trust also focuses on a number of other issues, among them:<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.restoretrust.org.uk/campaign|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221106215946/https://www.restoretrust.org.uk/campaign|archive-date=6 November 2022|website=Restore Trust|title=Our Campaign|access-date=14 September 2023}}</ref> *The leadership of the National Trust; *Proposed closures of historic properties and conversion to holiday lets; *Sidelining of historical specialists; *The Trust's opposition to fracking;<ref>{{cite web |title=Telegraph interview with Restore Trust Director, Zewditu Gebreyohanes |url=https://www.restoretrust.org.uk/media-and-press/telegraph-interview-with-restore-trust-director-zewditu-gebreyohanes |publisher=Restore Trust |access-date=14 November 2023}}</ref> *Issues relating to specific properties, such as the restoration of Clandon Park House.

==History==

===AGM resolutions=== From 2021 Restore Trust has brought resolutions to the annual general meeting (AGM) of the National Trust. Only one has ever been adopted, a resolution on senior staff remuneration.

In 2022, Restore Trust attempted to get two members' resolutions passed at the AGM. Firstly, to abolish the chairman's discretionary proxy vote, and secondly to create an independent office of ombudsman 'to ensure the national trust remains accountable to its supporters'.<ref name=telegraph/> Restore did not gain enough votes to pass its resolutions on the National Trust's governance.<ref name=guardian2>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/nov/06/right-leaning-group-fails-to-wrest-control-of-national-trust-from-political-takeover|work=The Guardian|title=Right-leaning group fails to wrest control of National Trust|first=Robert|last=Booth|date=6 November 2022|access-date=14 September 2023}}</ref>

===Reform candidates for the National Trust Council=== Restore Trust has encouraged its supporters to vote for candidates from a list which it has endorsed. Those proposed for the council have included historian Jeremy Black, Zareer Masani, a historian who served on the Policy Exchange’s "History Matters" advisory board, Stephen Green, director of the Christian Voice advocacy group,<ref name=guardian1/> and Lord Sumption.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023 |title=Jonathan Sumption, a significant monument |url=https://www.lawgazette.co.uk/obiter/jonathan-sumption-a-significant-monument/5117628.article |access-date=December 15, 2025}}</ref> In response to the campaign, the National Trust's director of communications, Celia Richardson, said that she found the idea of "paid-for canvassing for places on our council" to be a "new and concerning" development.<ref name=theartnewspaper/>

===Past Directors=== The group's directors included Zewditu Gebreyohanes, formerly Head of the History Matters unit at Policy Exchange,<ref>[https://policyexchange.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/‘The-Racial-Consequences-of-Mr-Churchill-A-Review.pdf About the authors (‘The Racial Consequences of Mr Churchill’: A Review)]</ref> and Neil Record, the chairman of the Institute of Economic Affairs in the period 2015–2023.<ref name=theartnewspaper>{{cite web|url=https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2022/12/06/is-the-national-trust-the-victim-of-astroturfing|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230609120127/https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2022/12/06/is-the-national-trust-the-victim-of-astroturfing|archive-date=9 June 2023|title=Is the UK National Trust influenced by a campaign group funded by lobbyists?|first=Charlotte|last=Jansen|date=6 December 2022|access-date=14 September 2023}}</ref> Gebreyohanes stepped down from her position as director in November 2023 shortly after no Restore Trust candidates were elected or resolutions passed at the Trust's 2023 AGM (the group's candidates and resolutions had also been rejected at the previous AGM).<ref name=morrison>{{Cite news|date=2023-11-15 |title=Director of Restore Trust, campaign group putting pressure on National Trust, steps down from role|first=Alexander|last=Morrison|url=https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2023/11/15/director-of-restore-trust-campaign-group-putting-pressure-on-national-trust-steps-down-from-role|newspaper=The Art Newspaper}}</ref> <ref name=jones>{{cite news |last=Jones |first=Leigh |title=Anti-woke' group defeated in National Trust members' vote |url=https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/heritage-and-retro/heritage/anti-woke-group-defeated-in-national-trust-members-vote-4406643 |date=13 November 2023 |website=The Yorkshire Post}}</ref> Record stepped down in January 2024.<ref name="BT">{{Cite web |last=Colbert |date=2024 |title=Tufton Street-linked Restore Trust sees surge in funding from undisclosed donors |url=https://bylinetimes.com/2024/01/24/tufton-street-linked-restore-trust-sees-surge-in-funding-from-undisclosed-donors/ |access-date=December 10, 2025 |website=Byline Times}}</ref>

==Quick Vote System== Zewditu Gebreyohanes blamed the poor performance of Restore Trust at the National Trust AGM on the optional "Quick Vote" system, which allowed voters to cast a single vote agreeing with all preferences of the trustees, rather than voting on each issue separately.<ref name=guardian2/> She felt that the option had been introduced "surreptitiously"<ref name=guardian2/> and claimed that the Quick Vote results had not been made public, a decision that she felt was "suspicious". The National Trust issued a statement saying that the Quick Vote option was introduced at the advice of an independent election services provider and was considered to be "best practice", used by many other member organisations, and had been explained in voting instructions sent to members in the summer.<ref name="theartnewspaper"/>

Lord Sumption, one of the unsuccessful candiates for the National Trust Council, was reported not to be minded to stand for election again – at least while the trustees can flag their preferred candidates.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024 |title=Past recast: Inside the row engulfing the National Trust |url=https://www.politicshome.com/thehouse/article/past-recast-inside-row-engulfing-national-trust |access-date=December 9, 2025}}</ref>

==Criticisms== Restore Trust has attracted critical commentary in the news media; critics such as the Good Law Project have alleged that Restore Trust is engaged in astroturfing due to hidden connections with political lobbying groups.<ref name=theartnewspaper/>

==References== {{reflist}}

Category:Advocacy groups in the United Kingdom Category:Right-wing politics in the United Kingdom Category:National Trust Category:Woke