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The Manuka Club was founded in 2003 by Ben Goldsmith, as a network for donors wishing to protect the British countryside against unnecessary development. The Club is one of very few funding sources available to environmental groups working at community level.
The Club was launched at a time when Britain's open spaces were under threat from major new development programmes. Although the policy details have changed over the years, in essence these threats remain the same today:
- A major increase in house-building - where new homes should go and the type of development we want;
- A new generation of incineration plants as the UK struggles to manage its 'waste mountain';
- Plans for a series of major road-building schemes as car use increases;
- New runways and other increases in airport capacity.
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The Club's strategy is designed to meet the needs of local groups, identified through ongoing consultation with community and campaign leaders.
The Club focuses on three areas of activity. A Small Grants Programme supports groups engaged in effective local campaigns; a Training Programme to equip groups with key media, strategy and organisational skills; and a Strategic Grants Programme to support projects and networks that strengthen the grass roots movement overall.
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