Charities pass £10m mark in appeal to buy Rothbury estate

CHARITIES which have agreed the purchase of one of the largest land deals in the UK in three decades have surpassed the £10m mark.

- DANIEL HALL

The Rothbury Estate in Northumberland, and, inset right, Mike Pratt, CEO of Northumberland Wildlife Trust

The Wildlife Trusts and Northumberland Wildlife Trust signed a purchase agreement for the Rothbury estate in October 2024 and launched an appeal for £30m to complete the deal within two years.

The charities have around 10 months to raise the remaining £20m, having hit the £8m mark in July 2025, and £6m in April. Sir David Attenborough backed the trusts' bid to secure the estate in October, with his words driving some of the recent donations.