Supporter groups in Cheshire and Greater Manchester

Gardener volunteers at work at Quarry Bank Mill, Styal, Cheshire | © National Trust Images/John Millar

Support the work of the National Trust across Cheshire and Greater Manchester while making the most of your membership by joining a local supporter group. There are seven groups you could join in the area. Read on to find your nearest group or click on a supporter group’s name in the menu to jump to their details.

Why join a supporter group?

Getting together with other National Trust enthusiasts, members and volunteers who feel passionate about the same things is priceless. Sharing unique experiences and finding out more about the places you care about is what being part of a local National Trust supporter group is all about.

From listening to expert talks and going on behind-the-scenes tours to taking relaxing holidays or restoring natural habitats in the great outdoors, you’ll be part of something amazing. Supporter groups promote and assist the National Trust’s work within their local area and raise money for conservation and development projects through all kinds of events.

Bolton Association

Bolton Association was founded in 1986 and has an active membership drawn from Bolton, Bury and the surrounding areas of Greater Manchester. Their objectives are to promote the Trust locally, raise funds to support it and enable members to get even more enjoyment from their membership. In recent years they have contributed various sums to support a wide range of projects at different National Trust properties in the North West region.

Manchester National Trust Volunteers

Meeting most Sundays, Manchester National Trust Volunteers work at National Trust places throughout the North West. They take part in conservation activities ranging from rhododendron bashing and fence construction to cotton grass planting and hedge laying.

No previous experience is required to join but it is requested that people between 16 and 18 are accompanied by an adult.

The Manchester Centre

Founded in 1948 as the first National Trust Centre, The Manchester Centre brings together like-minded supporters of the Trust.

They host a programme of social events, such as enlightening and entertaining talks during the winter months, and day trips to properties and gardens in the summer.

These activities raise money for the National Trust and recent donations have supported:

Quarry Bank (£2,000)

Dunham Massey (£1,000)

Lyme (£1,000)

Manchester Centre is run by an elected committee who welcome new members as well as fresh ideas.

Visitors walking in the grounds at Quarry Bank Mill, Wilmslow, Cheshire — Visitors walking in the grounds at Quarry Bank Mill, Wilmslow | © National Trust Images/Paul Harris

The Chester National Trust Volunteers (NTV) Group

Running for over 20 years, The Chester NVT Group has members aged between 18 and 70+ from Cheshire, Wirral and North Wales, who carry out workdays in the grounds of Trust places in Cheshire and North Wales.

The National Trust Chester Centre

The Chester Centre was founded in 1971 to promote and prosper the work of the National Trust. They currently have c.115 members living in the Chester area.

The Chester Centre was founded in 1971 to promote and prosper the work of the National Trust. We currently have 100 members living in the Chester Area.

We aim to promote the work of the National Trust and to raise funds by providing a programme of events, which include in the summer months day trips and a series of talks in the winter, which we hope will prove interesting and entertaining for our members.

Any funds that we raise are used to benefit local properties such as Quarry Bank Mill, Hare Hill, Dunham Massey and the Central and South Lancashire area for their Countryside and Buildings fund.
Programme of Events Summer 2024

Thursday, 23rd May - a coach outing to view the Shakespeare North theatre and a visit to Speke Hall.

Monday 10th June - a coach outing to Westhope College Gardens and a visit to Benthall Hall

Friday, 28th June - a car trip to attend a Summer Lunch at Chester Fields, Chester, CH2 4JR

Thursday, 25th July - an afternoon Harp Recital to be given in the Burley Memorial Hall, Waverton to include light refreshments.

Wednesday, 21st August - a car outing for an afternoon at Chorlton Hall, Backford, Chester, CH2 4BJ to view the House and to include light refreshments.

Our Winter Programme will follow later in the year and will include a days out and a programme of talks

Lectures commence at 2.30pm Venue - The Burley Memorial Hall, Waverton, CH3 7QN

Coach outings depart from Chester Station, City Road, CH1 3NS and St. Columba's Church, Plas Newton, CH2 1PL

The East Cheshire National Trust Association

The East Cheshire National Trust Association has been providing a wide annual programme of events and holidays since 1986. These events for around 200 members allow them to raise money to support the work of the National Trust at local properties including Lyme and Quarry Bank.

We run a full and varied annual programme of Outings, Talks, Walks, Holidays, and special events such as lunches for the benefit of our c200 members. The programme enables us to raise money to support the National Trust and particularly our local properties including Lyme and Quarry Bank. Members receive a quarterly newsletter by post or e-mail, detailing up-coming events and how to apply.

Our membership year which runs from January to December is £12.00 per person or £20.00 per household. There is a £6.00 supplement to receive the newsletter by post. New members who apply on or after 1^st September receive membership through to 31^st December of the following year. For more information about joining, please contact our Membership Secretary on ecnt.membership@gmail.com or 0161 449 8020.

Talks are on the second Tuesday of the month, September to June 2.00pm at the Brookdale Club, Bridge Lane, Bramhall, Stockport, SK7 3AB; this has a large free car park at the rear of the building. It is on a bus route and about ¾mile from Bramhall station.

Walks usually of 4-5miles are normally the third Saturday of the month and are often followed by a pub lunch.

Outings are normally on a Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday, and are by coach, with pick up points in Bramhall and Hazel Grove, or occasionally self-drive.

Holidays are organised in conjunction with a local coach company and are fully ensured.

Here is our programme of forthcoming events for the next six months – we hope it will encourage you to join.

Date	Type of event	Subject
15^th October	Talk	Joseph Banks – Jill Rickman
19^th October	Walk	Lymm – 4.5 miles
5^th November	Talk	Cheshire Curiosities – Keith Warrender
13^th November	Outing	Haddon Hall Christmas Market
16^th November	Walk	Higher Poynton – 4 miles
27^th November	Outing	Christmas Lunch at The Stanneylands, Wilmslow
10^th December	Talk	Life and Times of a Busker – Eric Newton
7^th January	Talk	Landscapes for Leisure – Clare Pye
18^th January	Walk	Dunham Massey Winter Garden and Deer Park 4miles
11^th February	Talk	The Sixties - A Decade of Decadence – Frank Vigon
15^th February	Walk	Marple Bridge 4.5miles
26^th February	Outing	Snowdrops at Biddulph Grange and a visit to Little Moreton Hall
11^th March	AGM & Talk	AGM + Georgie Lofthouse Guest Speaker: Sizergh
15^th March	Walk	Styal woods and Quarry Bank Garden - 4.5miles
25^th March	Outing	World of Glass, St Helens

The North Front viewed across the moat at Dunham Massey. Early morning. — The North Front viewed across the moat at Dunham Massey | © National Trust Images/Nick Meers

The Frodsham and District Association

With 100 members from the Frodsham, Helsby, Northwich, Runcorn, Winsford and Warrington area, The Frodsham and District Association raises funds for the National Trust in the area through events for members.

Funds raised are donated to specific projects at Trust places in the region. Since 2011 grants have gone to:

Dunham Massey

Formby

Little Moreton Hall

Quarry Bank

Speke Hall

The White Cliffs appeal

The North Cheshire Centre

At The North Cheshire Centre 250 members from mainly the areas of Altrincham, Sale and Wilmslow join together at a variety of social and fundraising events throughout the year.

During spring and summer, a coach holiday and day outings are arranged so members may visit places of interest, both near and far, including National Trust properties. In autumn and winter, members meet for talks on various subjects including heritage, history and far-off places. After the talk refreshments are served.

There are also lunch outings, a traditional Christmas lunch, a specially prepared May tea with entertainment, and a New Year walk in Dunham Park.

The South Cheshire Association

With aims to promote the work of the National Trust, The South Cheshire Association has a range of events year-round for its 200 members in Crewe, Nantwich, Sandbach, Holmes Chapel and the surrounding area.

Each year they donate surplus funds to worthwhile National Trust projects, a shortlist being voted upon by members at the AGM. Properties recently benefited from donations include:

Bickerton Hill

Little Moreton Hall

Dunham Massey

Quarry Bank

Formby
WINTER INDOOR PROGRAMME 2024-2025

Monthly meetings take place at Nantwich Football Stadium, Waterlode, Nantwich CW5 5BS on Wednesdays with the September, October, November, April and May meetings starting at 7.30 p.m.

The January, February and March meetings will now start at 2pm.

There is ample free, well lit car parking for attendees.

September 25 THE LIFE AND CRIMES OF AGATHA CHRISTIE

7.30 p.m. A look at the remarkable career of the most popular crime novelist of all times. David McCaddon looks at her early life, her own real-life disappearance and the creation of many of her characters including Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple.

October 30 GRACE KELLY: Perfect Princess or Amazing Actress?

7.30 p.m. After more than 15 years as a cruise ship speaker, Hazel Griffiths has a reputation for her in-depth research and she has been interested in Grace Kelly since she saw her tomb in Monaco Cathedral. This interest has been enhanced by her visits to Monaco, New York and Los Angeles.

Hazel will question how does an actress become a Princess? Was it a fairy story? Did it have a happy ending?

November 27 A CHRISTMAS BOX

7.30 p.m. Graham Dodd considers how the Christmas festival was established and traces its evolution through the centuries. The talk is illustrated by reference to local events and concludes by considering how the festival is viewed by other cultures.

Friday, December 13 CHRISTMAS LUNCH

January 29 2025 MY LIFE AT GRANADA TELEVISION

2.00 p.m. Judy Popley joined Granada in 1974, perhaps at its heyday, with huge dramas being produced such as Brideshead Revisited, The Jewel in the Crown, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and, of course, Coronation Street. Funny,sad and evocative memories of her time there.

February 26 LOVE AND WAR - HOW WE CREATED OUR GARDEN BIRDS

2.00 p.m. Kevin Reynolds will speak about how our relationship evolved with the wild birds we now call ‘garden birds’. Who were the people and what were the events that made those changes happen? A fascinating historical journey.

March 26 PILOTS AND PETTICOATS - WOMEN MASTERS OF THE SKY

2.00 p.m. David Skillen introduces us to many intrepid women who were pioneers in the early days of aviation. From Elizabeth Thible, who flew a hot air balloon in 1784 to the female astronauts who were killed in 1986 when the space shuttle Challenger exploded on take-off. Some names are familiar, Amy Johnson, Amelia Earhart, Valentina Tereshkova, others were lost to history. Why is it that the achievements of so many women in all walks of life have been forgotten?

April 30 SCAMS AWARENESS SESSION

7.30 p.m Emma Kennedy is a Scams Awareness and Aftercare Support Worker which is a partnership between Age UK, Cheshire East Council and Cheshire East Trading Standards to help people spot, avoid and report scams.

Their project aims to raise awareness of all different types of fraud - doorstep, postal, phone, email and online, relationship and befriending, identity theft and investment and pension fraud.

May 28 THE RELUCTANT SHEPHERDESS

7.30 p.m Rosemarie Lee farms at Weaver Dairy House Farm, Winsford; her talk is about the past 11 years, a journey in which she returned to her home farm, committing to Higher Level Stewardship. This has involved targeting species of Lapwing, wetland and ground nesting birds. She has also embarked upon ancient woodland restoration, whilst learning how to be a shepherd. It includes a very light hearted walk through the highs and lows of the journey.