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The Manuka Club was founded in May 2003 by Benjamin Goldsmith, and operates as a donor network for individuals wishing to oppose irreversible losses of the British countryside to unnecessary development. The Club is the UK’s only dedicated source of funding for environmental groups working at community level.
The Club was launched against the background of several major new Government initiatives that threaten Britain's open spaces. Although the policy details have changed over the years, in essence these threats remain the same today:
- A major increase in house-building, with up to 3 million new homes planned by 2010;
- A green light for the building of toxic waste incineration plants as landfill becomes more expensive;
- A return to the ‘predict and provide’ traffic growth model with plans for a series of major road-building schemes;
- Approval of increases in airport capacity to accommodate rising demand.
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Prior to the Club’s launch, extensive consultation took place with leading figures in the environmental movement and veterans of local or ‘grass roots’ campaigning. This helped identify the major needs of local campaigners, and informed the Club’s strategy for meeting these needs.
The Club focuses on three areas of activity. A Small Grants Programme which disburses money to groups engaged in effective local campaigns; a Training Programme that equips individuals and groups with key media, campaign strategy and organisational skills; and a Strategic Grants Programme that supports projects and networks designed to strengthen the grass roots movement overall.
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