Quarry Bank protest urges National Trust to stop banking with Barclays

Families from Parents for Future Manchester held up signs and handed out leaflets in front of the historic mill building in Styal to urge the charity to drop Barclays, which they claim is Europe’s biggest funder of fossil fuels.

Parents and children carried placards and signs saying ‘I Love National Trust, Not Barclays’ and engaged with other visitors.

READ > Knutsford photographers showcase award winning images in exhibition

Protestors handed out leaflets and collected signatures for a petition calling on the charity to switch to a bank which does not fund fossil fuels.

Families also did a litter pick and nature walk to support one of Britain’s most important industrial heritage sites.

Families carried out a litter pick after a peaceful climate protest at Quarry Bank in Styal (Image: Supplied)

The group is keen to encourage children to love and care for the countryside on their doorstep.

Families held a picnic afterwards and youngsters played in the grounds.

Quarry Bank is one of hundreds of sites owned by the National Trust, which is the guardian of nature reserves, national parks, coastline, historic buildings and estates across the country.

A mum-of-two who took part in the action said: “I have been donating to the National Trust for years and am a big supporter of its ‘for everyone forever’ mission.

“But I was really disappointed to find out that my money has also been going to Barclays which funds new fossil fuel projects, which I am completely opposed to.

"Despite being a busy parent, it's really important to me to use any limited resource I have - time, money, or energy - to stand up for the future of children everywhere.

“Being able to do this in a family friendly way is a fun way of making our voices heard and setting an example to our kids.

“The staff and volunteers at Quarry Bank were so welcoming and accommodating, even pointing out the best place for us to litter pick and I send my thanks to them.

"I really hope the National Trust hears our message and will make much more of an effort to cut ties with Barclays."

The protest, picnic and litter pick is part of a week of action by campaigners across the country to urge the National Trust to ditch Barclays, which campaigners claim has invested $235.2 billion in fossil fuels in the last seven years.

Parents For Future is the UK’s largest parent climate movement.

A National Trust spokesperson said: "The National Trust fully understands the urgency needed to find solutions to the climate crisis and the strength of feeling about this among some of our supporters.

“We welcomed Barclays' announcement that they will stop direct financing to clients engaged in oil and gas expansion, and that they will require their clients in the energy sector to prepare climate transition plans.

“It is critically important that we continue to engage with the banking sector to do more and faster to reduce financed emissions.

“We support people’s right to demonstrate, so long as it is done peacefully and it does not damage the historic and natural places we look after."

A spokesman for Barclays said: “Barclays is supporting an energy sector in transition, focusing on the diversified energy companies investing in low carbon, with greater scrutiny on those engaged in developing new oil and gas projects.

"We have stopped direct financing of new oil and gas projects, have set out clear requirements on our energy clients’ targets, transition plans or decarbonisation strategies, and have a target to facilitate $1trillion of sustainable and transition finance by 2030.

"Last year we mobilised $67.8 billion and while doing so, our financed emissions for the energy and power sectors reduced by 44 per cent and 26 per cent respectively, between 2020 and 2023.”