The Ernest Cook Trust
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1952
- HeadquartersFairford, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
The Ernest Cook Trust firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Ernest Cook Trust
- Legal name
- The Ernest Cook Trust
- Website
- https://ernestcooktrust.org.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1952
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Ernest Cook Trust industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Educational Charity / Outdoor Learning
- NAICS
- Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Support Activities for Forestry (115310)
- SIC
- Investors, Nec (6799), Real Estate Dealers (For Their Own Account) (6532), Forestry (800)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Education Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAK)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Private Foundations (BPAGAKAA), Land Trusts & Protected Areas (BPAGAGAC), Philanthropic & Charitable Trust Services (FSAAANAI)
Keywords
Where The Ernest Cook Trust is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Fairford
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices9 records
Markets served
The Ernest Cook Trust business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Estate and Land Management: Managing over 9,000 hectares across 9 estates generating rental income from 25 farm tenants and businesses and hundreds of residential tenants. Revenue supports charitable activities.
- Grant Making: Annual grant giving of over £2 million to support outdoor learning, youth empowerment, and land-based skills programs. Funded through estates, land management, and investments.
- Solar Farm and Renewable Energy: Partnership with Innova Renewables Development for 13-megawatt solar farm on Fairford Estate producing income through land lease arrangement shared with tenant farmer.
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
The Ernest Cook Trust product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Ernest Cook Trust is an educational charity that manages over 9,000 hectares of land across nine estates in six UK counties, delivering Outdoor Learning programmes (including The OWL Collaboration, Green and Blue Influencers Schemes, Forest School and land-based skills training) to young people, alongside an annual grant programme of more than £2 million. Its charitable work is funded through estate income generated from farm tenancies, residential and commercial property, and investments.
Product overview
The Ernest Cook Trust operates as a unified charitable platform offering three interconnected service streams: Outdoor Learning programmes, Land Management, and a Grants Programme. The Trust delivers outdoor education through its own learning sites (Low Beckside Farm in Cumbria, Redwood Outdoor Learning Centre at Slimbridge) and a network of partner outdoor learning centres. Major programmes include The OWL Collaboration (residential outdoor weeks), the Green Influencers Scheme, and the Blue Influencers Scheme. The Trust manages over 9,000 hectares across 9 estates, combining progressive land stewardship with educational delivery and substantial annual grant-making (£2+ million) to support outdoor learning access for young people.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- The OWL Collaboration: Outdoor Weeks of Learning programme providing residential experiences in nature for young people, working with partner outdoor learning centres.
- Green Influencers Scheme
- Blue Influencers Scheme
Products and services
- Outdoor Learning
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 160,000 young people reached in 2024-25
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use The Ernest Cook Trust
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
The Ernest Cook Trust technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
The Ernest Cook Trust partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
24 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Innova Renewables DevelopmentcorePartnership for 13-megawatt Welsh Way Solar Farm on Fairford Estate. Trust receives land lease income shared with tenant farmer.
- Country TrustcorePartner in The OWL Collaboration delivering residential outdoor learning programs.
- The Outward Bound TrustcorePartner in The OWL Collaboration network.
- Ufton Court Educational TrustcoreOWL Collaboration partner hosting residential outdoor weeks at their Berkshire site.
- Shallowford FarmcoreOWL Collaboration partner in Devon.
- Magdalen Environmental TrustcoreOWL Collaboration partner hosting at Magdalen Farm in Somerset.
- Lambourne End CentrecoreOWL Collaboration partner in Essex.
- Jamie's FarmcoreOWL Collaboration partner with locations in Bath, Hereford, Lewes, and Monmouth.
- Farms for City ChildrencoreOWL Collaboration partner at Wick Court (Gloucestershire) and Lower Treginnis (Pembrokeshire).
- The Countryside Education TrustcoreOWL Collaboration partner at Beaulieu, Hampshire.
- Bore Place (The Commonwork Trust)coreOWL Collaboration partner in Kent.
- Country TrustcorePartner delivering OWL Collaboration pilot at Low Beckside Farm in Cumbria.
- Pendle Hill Landscape PartnershipcorePartnership supported by National Lottery Heritage Fund for community outdoor learning projects including Little Saplings toddler group.
- Forest of Bowland AONBcorePartner in Pendle Hill Landscape Partnership scheme.
- Lowther Castle and Gardens TrustcoreCollaboration for training and apprenticeship programs for disadvantaged young people in Cumbria.
- Forest of Bowland National LandscapecorePartner in Connecting People and Nature project, supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund.
- Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation TrustcorePartner in Connecting People and Nature project promoting nature, wellbeing, and Outdoor Learning.
- Linnet EducationcoreScience and nature-based educational organization providing alternative school education to children unable to attend mainstream school.
- Yorkshire Wildlife TrustcorePartner with Green Influencer Tom Boldock for nature trail creation at Alderman Kneeshaw Park in Hull.
- Diddly Squat Farm ShopcoreCharity partnership with exclusive product range on Ocado. For every item sold, 10p donated to Ernest Cook Trust for outdoor learning and land-based skills.
- SavillsminorInternational land agency that organized the sale of Low Beckside Farm from Askham Bryan College.
- Askham Bryan CollegecorePrevious operator of Newton Rigg campus whose sale of Low Beckside Farm to Ernest Cook Trust secured the site's future as a learning centre.
- Young GloucestershirecoreHost organization for Green Influencers Scheme Green Mentor Amy Pickford, supporting disadvantaged young people.
- J.S. Wright & SonsminorWorld's largest and oldest established company supplying English cricket bat willow, harvesting willows from Fairford Estate.
Scale indicators15 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
The Ernest Cook Trust competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
The Ernest Cook Trust social profiles
Digital presenceThe Ernest Cook Trust financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Ernest Cook Trust leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
The Ernest Cook Trust funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Ernest Cook Trust M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Ernest Cook Trust
What does The Ernest Cook Trust do?
The Ernest Cook Trust is an educational charity that manages over 9,000 hectares of land across nine estates in six UK counties, delivering Outdoor Learning programmes (including The OWL Collaboration, Green and Blue Influencers Schemes, Forest School and land-based skills training) to young people, alongside an annual grant programme of more than £2 million. Its charitable work is funded through estate income generated from farm tenancies, residential and commercial property, and investments.
Is The Ernest Cook Trust a public or private company?
The Ernest Cook Trust is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was The Ernest Cook Trust founded?
The Ernest Cook Trust was founded in 1952. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is The Ernest Cook Trust based?
The Ernest Cook Trust is headquartered in Fairford, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does The Ernest Cook Trust make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Estate and Land Management is the primary driver. The others are grant Making and solar Farm and Renewable Energy.
Does The Ernest Cook Trust have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Ernest Cook Trust.
What industry is The Ernest Cook Trust in?
The Ernest Cook Trust's product category is Educational Charity / Outdoor Learning. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAKAK, Education Grantmaking Foundations, with a secondary code of BPAGAKAA, Private Foundations. Its NAICS code is 813211 and its SIC code is 6799.