Businesses and residents in Newcastle’s Heaton community have rallied to support Northumberland Wildlife Trust and The Wildlife Trusts in their effort to purchase the 9,500-acre Rothbury Estate in Northumberland. The trusts are close to reaching their £30 million fundraising goal, having raised more than £26 million ahead of the October deadline to finalize the purchase from the family of the Duke of Northumberland.
More than 23,000 donors have contributed to the campaign over the past two years, with a mix of small donations and several high-value pledges. A range of local fundraising initiatives have helped drive the effort, including auctions and raffles featuring donated items. One notable contribution came from Curvy Sounds, an independent musical instrument retailer based in Heaton, which organized a raffle around a bespoke Tokai Les Paul guitar customized by founder Andrew Mills. Valued at approximately £1,000, the guitar’s design draws inspiration from natural motifs such as sunflowers, shoals of fish, and flower petals.
A second guitar, also valued at over £1,000, was donated by local singer-songwriter Nev Clay. Andrew and Jess Mills, co-owners of Curvy Sounds and former conservation artists, have personal ties to the Northumberland region and the Rothbury Estate, recalling family outings such as bilberry picking, camping, and kayaking on the nearby River Coquet. Jess Mills described the estate as a cherished place for both wildlife and the local community and emphasized the importance of preserving it for future generations.
The couple’s efforts have spurred additional support from businesses in the Heaton area, which have donated prizes for a September raffle hosted at Curvy Sounds. Contributors include local companies such as The Last Resort, The Tipsy Toad, The Dog Grocers, and Body Image Fitness. Newcastle-based indie band Maximo Park has also donated signed merchandise for the event. The raffle draw is scheduled for the end of September, with tickets still available to the public.
Other fundraising activities have included a stall at the Ouseburn Festival in early July, where artists and gardeners sold artworks and plants, as well as a six-hour sponsored walk in the Simonside Hills later that month. Mike Pratt, Chief Executive of Northumberland Wildlife Trust, praised the generosity and community spirit demonstrated in Heaton, highlighting the widespread commitment to conserving the estate.
The trusts aim to use the estate to establish a 40-mile nature corridor linking the Northumberland Coast with Kielder Forest, preventing the land from being fragmented through multiple ownerships. Plans include nature recovery projects, regenerative farming practices, and long-term species reintroductions such as beavers, bison, and golden eagles. Restoration efforts will focus on enhancing the landscape’s resilience to extreme weather by re-wetting wetlands, restoring peat bogs, and improving river corridors to better manage water during droughts and heavy rainfall.
Match funding opportunities, extended through September, could double the impact of further donations, and the trusts have indicated they may use low-interest loans if necessary to complete the purchase. With the fundraising goal within reach, the Northumberland Wildlife Trust and The Wildlife Trusts are preparing to secure the Rothbury Estate for conservation and public benefit.