The National Trust Recruiting for Kid’s Council

SWINDON, England, August 14, 2012 /PRNewswire/ –

The National Trust has announced it is recruiting a group of advisors made up entirely
of children to provide advice on how to get more of the nation’s kids outdoors.

The idea follows the charity’s recent Natural Childhood Report and 50 things to do
before you’re 11 3/4 campaign, and shows the Trust stepping up its game in encouraging
children to explore the outdoors and get closer to nature.

The National Trust is looking to sign up ten children aged between seven and twelve to
the Kids’ Council [http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/kidscouncil ]* where they will play an
important role in developing the charity’s outdoor campaigns, and making their properties
more fun for younger visitors.

The perfect candidate will be brimming with enthusiasm and fun, plus have a natural
love for the outdoors and fresh air. Potential applicants are also required to have an
adventurous spirit and a wild imagination. A fondness for rolling down hills or jumping in
muddy puddles would be considered a bonus.

To offer children a chance to try out the National Trust and get inspiration on what
they would like to change if they were appointed to the Kids’ Council, the Trust will open
up its doors to children for free for the whole month of August
[http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/augkidsfree ]. Over 200 places will be free of charge to
children,** giving them the opportunity to explore National Trust places across the
country.

The successful council applicants will be announced later in the year and will be
offered free access to National Trust places for themselves and their family. Canoeing,
surfing and camping are among the activities
[http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/what-we-do/news/view-page/item804841 ] that will be part
of the winning prize to ensure kids and their families experience the full National Trust
offering. The Kids’ Council will meet throughout 2013 and report their findings into the
National Trust’s Visitor Experience Director, so their suggestions can be put into
practise to help make the outdoors more fun for the nation’s kids.

The application process will close on 7th September 2012. Applications can be
downloaded from the website at http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/kidscouncil and sent
back via email, post or handed in at National Trust properties.***

Tony Berry, Visitor Experience Director of the National Trust, commented: “We are
really committed to helping kids enjoy the great outdoors and we want to make our places
the most fun and family-friendly day out destinations in the UK. I’m really excited that
our new Kids’ Council will help us do just that. Our kids go free promotion for the entire
month of August will not only give kids and their families the chance to get out and
explore, but hopefully inspire them to apply for our Kids’ Council and let us know what we
can do better in the future.”

NOTES TO EDITORS

*Applications can be downloaded from the website at
http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/kidscouncil and sent back via email, post or handed in
at National Trust properties.

** A maximum of 2 children (aged between 5 – 16yrs) can visit free of charge when
accompanied by a paying adult

*** handed in at a property participating in the Kids Go Free offer. Terms and
conditions apply. See webpage for details.

About National Trust:

The National Trust looks after more than 250,000 hectares of countryside, 710 miles of
coastline and hundreds of historic places across England, Wales and Northern Ireland. For
more information and ideas for great value family days out go to:

http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk.

For those stuck for ideas on what to do with the family this summer, the nationwide
’50 Things’ campaign to help get children outdoors and closer to nature, which has seized
the public’s imagination, now appears in a practical and handy book. Packed with outdoor
activities [http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/activities ], the book will get families
off the sofa and parachute everyone into a whirl of activity in the fresh air. Further
info can be found at shop.nationaltrust.org.uk/fiftythings.

        PR Contact:
        Laura Appleby
        The National Trust
        Heelis
        Kemble Drive
        Swindon
        SN2 2NA
        +44(0)1793-817706

http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk

SOURCE The National Trust