Sharpham Trust

What Sharpham Trust does

Sharpham Trust is a UK registered charity (Charity #285767, Company #01659601) founded in 1982 by Maurice and Ruth Ash to offer mindfulness retreats rooted in nature. It operates from a 550-acre estate on the River Dart in South Devon, anchored by the Grade I-listed Sharpham House and four additional venues — the Coach House, Barn, Woodland Retreats, and the Hermitage — accommodating roughly 1,500 retreatants annually. Programming spans silent meditation retreats, residential mindfulness courses, solo 'Hermitage' stays, the newer 'Mindfulness of Trees' offering, and natural burials, with a sliding-scale pricing model (Standard, Supporter, and Bursary rates).

The business model blends fee-for-service retreat income with venue hire (weddings, group retreats at the Coach House), natural burials, ancillary activities (the wine brand having been divested to Sandridge Barton), and grant funding — notably a £177,400 award from the National Lottery Heritage Fund for the 'Wild for People' rewilding programme, alongside support from the Plymouth & South Devon Community Fund and the Hollick Family Foundation. The Trust runs between 11 and 50 employees and partners with Ambios Ltd for conservation training and with United Response for supported volunteer placements. Digital channels are limited to a website, SoundCloud-hosted guided meditations, and an email newsletter; there is no proprietary technology platform, app, or AI component to the offering.

Commercially the Trust sits at the intersection of wellness tourism, education, and conservation. Its strategic emphasis has shifted toward integrating rewilding (5,875 trees planted in 2024 via the 'Wild About Trees' initiative, plus a wildflower meadow created in 2023) with mindfulness teaching, positioning the estate as both a retreat venue and a working landscape project. Repeat institutional partnerships and recurring bursary donations point to a stable, mission-driven operating model rather than a venture-scalable business.

Name

Sharpham Trust

Legal name

The Sharpham Trust

Website

https://sharphamtrust.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1982

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Sharpham Trust is a UK registered charity running mindfulness and nature-connection retreats on its 550-acre Devon estate, serving roughly 1,500 retreatants a year through five venues, with revenue from retreat fees, venue hire, burials, and charitable grants supporting an integrated rewilding programme.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wellness Retreat Services

NAICS

Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000), Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)

akta.pro primary industry

Wellness Retreat Centers (Yoga, Meditation & Mindfulness) (THAGAMAB)

Keywords

• Mindfulness retreats
• Wellness programs
• Nature conservation
• Venue hire
• Natural burials

Headquarters

HQ city

Totnes

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Retreat and Course Fees: Residential mindfulness retreats ranging from 3-10 nights at various venues (Sharpham House, Coach House, Barn, Woodland). Also includes 8-week online mindfulness courses, solo retreats at The Hermitage, and specialist programs.
2. Venue Hire: Sharpham House and grounds available for weddings, celebrations, ceremonies, and group hire. Includes catering facilities, gardens, and accommodation.
3. Accommodation Rentals: The Bathing House rental through Helpful Holidays for short breaks. Riverside camping at Point Field campsite. Boat House availability.
4. Natural Burials: Sharpham Meadow natural burial ground with Plot fees and memorial donations.
5. Donations and Bursary Fund: Voluntary donations to general fund and designated bursary fund enabling people on low income to attend retreats. Legacy gifts and monthly giving programs.
6. Gift Vouchers: Gift vouchers redeemable against retreats, courses, events, and foraging/fermenting days.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

The Sharpham Trust operates a mindfulness retreat and nature connection centre on a 550-acre organic estate in South Devon, offering residential mindfulness retreats (3 nights to multi-week stays) at five venues, structured mindfulness courses including 8-week online programmes, weekly online meditation sessions, venue hire for weddings and events, natural burials at Sharpham Meadow, and a Bursary Fund subsidising access for low-income participants. Teaching is grounded in NHS-recommended MBSR/MBCT frameworks and integrated with active rewilding, conservation training, and citizen science programmes funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Product overview

The Sharpham Trust is a mindfulness and nature charity offering a portfolio of retreat and wellness services centered around mindfulness meditation and nature connection. The core offerings include residential mindfulness retreats at five distinct venues (Sharpham House, The Coach House, The Barn, Woodland Retreats, and The Hermitage for solitary retreats), structured mindfulness courses (8-week programs and residential training courses), and venue hire services for weddings and events. Supporting programs include a Bursary Fund for financial assistance, the Wild for People rewilding conservation project, natural burials at Sharpham Meadow, and free digital mindfulness resources including audio meditations and online group sessions. The organization operates across a 550-acre organic estate on the River Dart in Devon, UK, with 40+ years of experience in mindfulness teaching.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Mindfulness Retreats Residential mindfulness meditation retreats offered at five venues (Sharpham House, The Coach House, The Barn, Woodland Retreats, The Hermitage) with durations from 3 nights to multi-week stays, incorporating nature connection, structured meditation practice (3 x 30-40 minute sessions daily), periods of silence, mindful movement, and self-compassion practices. Open to adults aged 18+ seeking stress reduction, burnout recovery, or deeper contemplative practice.
• Mindfulness Courses Structured mindfulness training programmes including 8-week Mindfulness for Health & Wellbeing courses, Mindfulness-Based Compassionate Living courses, and the 6-night residential Introduction to Mindfulness-Based Nature Connection Training. Designed for adults seeking structured, evidence-based mindfulness training grounded in MBSR/MBCT frameworks.
• Solo Retreats at The Hermitage Self-led solitary silent retreats in a self-contained wood cabin (The Hermitage) within private woodland for experienced meditators. Features solar-powered lighting, gas cooking, wood-burner, with optional work meditation in gardens. Available in 4-night (£195-£395), 6-night (£295-£495), and 10-night (£495-£795) durations across Standard, Subsidised, and Supporter rate tiers.
• Venue Hire for Weddings and Events Hire of Sharpham House (Grade I-listed Georgian mansion), The Coach House, The Barn, The Bathing House, The Boat House, and Point Field riverside camping for weddings, celebrations, ceremonies, and group hire. Includes catering facilities, gardens, and accommodation. Bookings handled by House Manager Denise Scribbins.
• Natural Burials at Sharpham Meadow Natural burial ground with views of the River Dart offering ecological alternatives to traditional burial or cremation. Plot fees and optional memorial donations available; Fire Circle ceremony space available. Open to all, with reservations handled via the website.
• Bursary Fund Financial assistance programme helping people on low income access mindfulness retreats, with donations from retreat participants and specific grants. Includes young people's bursaries (18-25) covering 75% of retreat costs, funded by the Hollick Family Foundation and Government Nature for Climate Fund.
• Wild for People Rewilding Project Nature restoration initiative rewilding 50 acres of farmland, turning the estate fully organic (Soil Association and Organic Farmers & Growers certified), with conservation training, wildlife events, and public engagement activities delivered in partnership with Ambios Ltd.
• Public Events and Foraging Days Nature connection events, foraging days, wild food experiences, Bioblitz citizen science days, wildlife surveys, conservation volunteering, school visits, and outdoor learning activities for the general public.
• Mindfulness of Trees Retreat 4-night retreat at The Coach House combining tree-planting with mindfulness meditation, designed specifically for young people aged 18-25 and funded by the Government Nature for Climate Fund. 18 places per retreat.

Quantifiable outcome

• Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy reduces risk of relapse for recurrent depression by more than 40%
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Ambios LtdcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNature conservation training organization based at Lower Sharpham Farm. Partnership to rewild 50 acres of farmland through Wild for People project. Ambios runs conservation training scheme teaching surveying and nature data collection skills. Staff include Conservation Ranger Phil Wilson.
• United ResponsecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCharity supporting adults with learning difficulties who carry out day-to-day work of organic farm at Lower Sharpham Farm. Partnership provides safe, chemical-free working environment for people with learning disabilities.
• Wildwood TrustminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNative species conservation charity with visitor nature parks in Devon and Kent. Donated two Konik ponies (Sylvi and Stella) to assist rewilding efforts.
• Friends of the River DartminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWater testing and river protection activities. Partnership for World Rivers Day events and ongoing river conservation work.
• Organic Farmers and GrowersminorOthersCertification organization that granted official organic status to Sharpham Estate farms including Home Farm after two-year conversion process.
• Soil AssociationminorOthersOrganic certification body for Lower Sharpham Farm (certified for over 20 years) and other estate areas.
• BBCminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBBC Escape to the Country property show filmed osprey nest building at Sharpham, featuring presenter Jules Hudson and Ambios Jack Skuse.
• ITV West CountryminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRegional television coverage filmed Konik pony arrival and rewilding efforts, broadcast on regional news.
• Rewilding FuturesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDartmoor-based organization that rented Mangalitsa pigs to the Wild for People rewilding project for land management.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Taraloka Buddhist Retreat Centre: Buddhist retreat centre for women in mid-Wales offering residential meditation retreats and courses. Comparable in retreat length, methodology, and direct-to-consumer booking model, though with a narrower audience focus.
• Gaia House: Buddhist and secular mindfulness retreat centre in Devon offering residential retreats of similar length and structure. Direct competitor in the UK mindfulness retreat segment with overlapping MBSR/MBCT-aligned curriculum and comparable price points.
• Amaravati Buddhist Monastery: UK Theravada Buddhist monastery offering residential retreats, courses, and solitary retreats on a multi-building estate. Direct peer in retreat format, mindfulness methodology, and UK residential meditation market.
• Samye Ling: Scotland-based Buddhist retreat centre offering residential meditation retreats and courses. Comparable in mission (mindfulness, nature connection), venue model (multi-building estate), and target audience of meditation practitioners.
• Insight Meditation Society: US-based residential Insight Meditation retreat centre with similar MBSR-aligned curriculum and multi-week residential retreat format. Comparable in mission, methodology, and retreatant demographic.
• Spirit Rock Meditation Center: US-based Insight Meditation retreat centre offering residential meditation retreats on a nature estate. Comparable in MBSR/MBCT-aligned methodology, residential retreat format, and nature-integrated programme design.
• Plum Village: Internationally recognised mindfulness retreat centre founded by Thich Nhat Hanh, offering residential retreats in France and globally. Comparable in MBSR-aligned mindfulness retreats, nature-connection emphasis, and residential multi-day format.
• Madhyamaka Kadampa Meditation Centre: UK Kadampa Buddhist retreat centre offering residential meditation courses and retreats. Comparable in residential retreat structure, mindfulness methodology, and secular-Buddhist positioning.

Broad incumbents

• Calm: Global digital mindfulness and meditation platform. Competes for the same end-user need (mindfulness practice for stress/anxiety/sleep) via app-based delivery at far lower price points, compressing Sharpham's addressable first-time-retreatant pool.
• Headspace: Global digital mindfulness and meditation platform serving the same target customer (adults seeking stress/anxiety relief through mindfulness) via a lower-friction, lower-cost delivery model. Represents competitive pricing pressure on entry-level retreat demand rather than direct residential competition.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/SharphamTrust
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC
• Facebookfacebook.com/SharphamTrust
• Instagraminstagram.com/sharphamtrust

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Sharpham Trust