What is the National Trust for

A.� Its exact role and direction in 2002 is the subject of much debate at the moment.

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However, basically its core functions are, as they describe it themselves, 'to preserve and protect the coastline, countryside and buildings of England, Wales and Northern Ireland. We do this in a range of ways, through practical caring and conservation, through educating and informing, and through encouraging millions of people to enjoy their national heritage.'

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A.� The National Trust was the brainchild of three Victorian philanthropists - Miss Octavia Hill, Sir Robert Hunter and Canon Hardwicke Rawnsley. They were worried about�urban poverty and lack of education and the decline of the nations great houses and gardens.

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In 1895 they set up the Trust as a land company to buy up places of historic interest and natural beauty and preserve them for the general public for 'recreation and instruction'.

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A.� The Trust is the biggest conservation body in the world, responsible for over 600,000 acres of countryside in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, nearly 600 miles of coastline and over 200 nationally important properties and gardens.

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A.� The Trust is a registered charity and relies principally on donations, membership and income generate through its shops, tea rooms etc.

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Land is usually bought while properties are either bought outright, or in many cases signed over to the Trust to manage, often when the resident family can no longer afford to keep up the property or simply want to secure its future by leaving it to the nation rather than selling it.

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A.� There has. There is always going to be an on going debate about what is truly representative of our heritage and how it should be managed, it would be unhealthy if it wasn't.

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However, the Trust has stood accused of being too cosy and middle class, with its themed tea rooms and gift shops, of pricing out people on low incomes and the elderly and being too conservative, of not moving with the cultural values of the times.

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Critics argue they have been too concerned with wrapping country houses and gardens in cotton wool and ignoring our urban heritage, which is being allowed to crumble, and ignoring their remit to educate, not just conserve.

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On the other hand they come under fire from traditionalists for ventures such as buying Paul McCartney's family home in Liverpool as a perfect example of a fifties council house. The Trust will never be able to please everyone.

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A.� Last year the Trust appointed a new Director General, Fiona Reynolds. As an Islington dwelling former civil servant has certainly been viewed with suspicion by traditionalists but is determined to modernise the Trust.

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She acknowledges that it has neglected its remit to educate and has gone on record to say she doesn't properties to represent what sort of places people lived in but how they lived as well.

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As the former head of the Council for the Protection of Rural England Reynolds is also very keen on environmental issues. The Trust has already pledged to go peat-free and developed their own eco-friendly compost and Reynolds has said she is determined that the Trust 'can do for the countryside what we've done with country houses.'

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