What Nene Park Trust does

Nene Park Trust is a registered charity (Charity No. 800067, Company No. 2288607) founded in 1988 that manages parks, greenspaces, heritage sites, and community spaces across Peterborough and the wider Cambridgeshire region of England. The Trust's core portfolio centers on Ferry Meadows as its flagship country park, supported by Thorpe Meadows, Orton Mere & Woodston Reach, the Nene Outdoors Watersports & Activity Centre, Nene Nursery, the Rural Estate, and the Woodlands Sport Pitches, plus heritage assets including the 14th-century Longthorpe Tower (with scheduled medieval wall paintings) and the Norman Cross Napoleonic prisoner-of-war camp site. Since 2024 it has also held 552 acres at Eye under NEIRF funding for a sustainable farming model.

The organization operates a diversified revenue model combining transactional income (daily parking via ANPR with Saba UK, watersports and cycle hire, venue and room hire, holiday clubs, camping, tours), recurring memberships (annual parking memberships from £65 to £130), voluntary donations and fundraising appeals, and substantial grant funding from heritage and community bodies (notably £1.965M from the National Lottery Heritage Fund for the 2021-2026 Your Community Greenspace project, £200,000 from Historic England and £50,000 from the NLHF for Norman Cross, and £160,000 from the National Lottery Community Fund for Building Healthier Green Futures in 2025). Technology is limited to a WordPress-based public website, Stripe payment processing, Cloudflare protection, Google Analytics, Azure Application Insights telemetry, and the Saba UK-managed ANPR parking system — there is no proprietary technology platform. Customer segments span families, schools (Schools in Residence program serving multiple Peterborough primaries), corporate groups, and health/wellbeing seekers served via Try Running, Wellbeing Wander, social prescribing, and green social prescribing at Nene Nursery.

The Trust functions as a community-led, event-driven charity with a large volunteer ecosystem (Welcome Rangers, Young Rangers, Wellbeing Wander Leaders, Nene Nursery volunteers) and a year-round events calendar. Daily operating costs are stated at approximately £8,000, implying an annual operating base near £2.92M.

Name

Nene Park Trust

Legal name

Nene Park Trust

Website

https://nenepark.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Nene Park Trust is a Peterborough-based registered charity managing parks, greenspaces, heritage sites and community spaces since 1988, serving families, schools, corporate groups and health/wellbeing seekers through recreation, education, venue hire and conservation programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Country parks and greenspace management

NAICS

Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219), Historical Sites (712120), RV (Recreational Vehicle) Parks and Recreational Camps (7212)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990), Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000)

akta.pro primary industry

Land Trusts & Protected Areas (BPAGAGAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

National Parks & Protected Area Visitor Services (Concessions, Guided Access) (THAAAAAH), Recreation & Activity Services (Hiking, Boating, Climbing, Fishing—Guided/Authorized) (THAAAGAF), National Park & Protected Area Tours (THAJAIAA)

Keywords

• Country park management
• Parks and recreation
• Heritage conservation
• Watersports activities
• Community wellbeing

Headquarters

HQ city

Peterborough

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Parking Revenue: Revenue generated from parking charges at Ferry Meadows, Thorpe Meadows, and Orton Mere using ANPR (Automatic Number Plate Recognition) system managed by Saba UK. Annual parking memberships provide recurring revenue.
2. Activity and Watersports Hire: Revenue from hiring watersports equipment (kayaks, paddleboards, pedalos, rowing boats), camping (bell tents and pitch-only), cycle hire, and mobility scooter hire at Nene Outdoors and Ferry Meadows.
3. Venue and Space Hire: Revenue from hiring meeting rooms (Lakeside Meeting Room, Lakeside Hub, Lynch Lake Community Hub, The Sett), outdoor meadows for events, and corporate team-building experiences.
4. Memberships: Annual parking memberships (Ferry Meadows at £110/year, Ferry Meadows PLUS at £130/year, Thorpe Meadows/Orton Mere at £65/year) plus member discounts across retail and activities.
5. Donations and Fundraising: Voluntary donations from visitors, contactless donation point in Visitor Centre, online donations, and fundraising appeals (Big Summer Cycle Challenge, Great North Swim participants).
6. Grant Funding: Major project grants including £1.965 million from National Lottery Heritage Fund (Your Community Greenspace), £200,000 from Historic England, £50,000 from National Lottery Heritage Fund for Norman Cross, £160,000 from National Lottery Community Fund (Building Healthier Green Futures), and funding from NEIRF for Land at Eye purchase.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Nene Park Trust is a registered charity that manages and operates a portfolio of country parks, greenspaces, heritage sites and community spaces around Peterborough, led by the flagship Ferry Meadows country park. It delivers recreational activities (watersports, cycling, climbing, archery, camping, play areas), venue hire (meeting rooms and event spaces), education programmes for schools, health and wellbeing services (Try Running, Wellbeing Wander, Tai Chi, yoga, social prescribing), heritage interpretation (Longthorpe Tower, Norman Cross), and conservation projects. Core revenue is generated through parking charges, activity and venue hire fees, annual parking memberships, donations, and grant funding.

Product overview

Nene Park Trust operates as a single-charity organization managing a portfolio of parks, greenspaces, heritage sites, and community facilities across Peterborough. The core offering centers on Ferry Meadows as the primary country park destination, complemented by multiple satellite locations including Thorpe Meadows, Nene Outdoors Watersports & Activity Centre, Nene Nursery, Orton Mere & Woodston Reach, Orton Meadows, Rural Estate, and Woodlands Sport Pitches. These locations provide a diverse mix of recreational facilities including watersports (kayaking, paddleboarding, sailing), land activities (climbing, archery, cycling), venue hire spaces (Lakeside Meeting Room, Lakeside Hub, Lynch Lake Community Hub, The Sett), camping accommodations, play areas, and educational programmes. Health and wellbeing services include Try Running, Wellbeing Wander, Tai Chi, yoga, and social prescribing sessions. The Trust also preserves heritage assets including Longthorpe Tower and Norman Cross, and offers services for developers seeking Biodiversity Net Gain compliance. The organization functions as a unified charitable operation rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture, with all products and services supporting the core mission of improving visitor health and wellbeing through quality greenspaces, community engagement, and nature conservation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Ferry Meadows: The main country park and busiest location, just under three miles from Peterborough city centre, offering lakes, meadows, woodlands, and year-round activities.
• Nene Outdoors Watersports & Activity Centre
• Thorpe Meadows
• Nene Nursery
• Orton Mere & Woodston Reach
• Norman Cross
• Longthorpe Tower
• Lynch Lake Community Hub

Products and services

• Ferry Meadows Main country park of Nene Park Trust offering lakes, meadows, woodlands, a Visitor Centre, play areas, camping, watersports access and year-round activities for families and the general public.
• Nene Outdoors Watersports & Activity Centre Activity centre offering kayaking, paddleboarding, sailing courses, rowing boats, pedalos, climbing walls, archery, cycle hire and camping for individuals, families, school groups and corporate customers.
• Thorpe Meadows Park featuring a purpose-built rowing lake, a 3.2km sculpture trail with 13 permanent artworks, riverside paths, a mini playground and the Thorpe Meadows Café.
• Nene Nursery Accessible community plant nursery offering social prescribing sessions, workshops and events for learning about plants, gardening skills and wellbeing benefits.
• Lakeside Meeting Room Meeting room venue available for half or full day hire between 8.30am and 5.30pm (evening hire on request) with views over Gunwade Lake, a private decked veranda and complimentary self-service tea and coffee.
• Lakeside Hub Versatile meeting space at Nene Outdoors with full-length windows and natural light, suitable for meetings, training, networking, children's parties and art workshops.
• Lynch Lake Community Hub Bright community space at Ferry Meadows with lake views and bi-fold doors opening onto wooden decking, ideal for small group meetings, workshops and outdoor activities.
• The Sett Adaptable event space at Ferry Meadows near the main car park, suitable for birthday celebrations, workshops, creative sessions and community gatherings with outdoor picnic area access.
• Oak Adventurers Holiday Club Multi-activity holiday club at Nene Outdoors for children aged 8-13, offering water and land-based activities including kayaking, paddleboarding, climbing and bushcraft during school breaks.
• Camping at Nene Outdoors Family-friendly camping on Gunwade Lake at Ferry Meadows with two campsites (The Glade and Lakeview) offering bell tent hire and pitch-only options.
• Boat Hire at Nene Outdoors Watercraft rental including kayaks, paddleboards, rowing boats, swan and dragon pedalos, canoes, and eco-passenger boat trips around Ferry Meadows lakes and river.
• Mobility Scooter Hire Mobility scooter and Mountain Trike hire service at Ferry Meadows to help visitors with mobility needs explore the park.
• RYA Sailing Courses Accredited sailing courses for adults and children at Nene Outdoors, including Youth RYA Sailing Stages 1-3 for ages 8-15.
• Corporate Experiences Team-building adventures, meeting room hire and conservation activities for corporate groups and organisations at Nene Outdoors and Ferry Meadows.
• Parking Memberships Annual parking memberships offering unlimited parking at Ferry Meadows, Thorpe Meadows and Orton Mere, with 10% discounts on retail and activities.
• Norman Cross Heritage Site Heritage site of the world's first purpose-built prisoner of war camp from the Napoleonic Wars, with viewing area, guided walks and digital interpretation, owned by Nene Park Trust.
• Longthorpe Tower Tours Guided tours of the 14th-century medieval tower featuring remarkable wall paintings, available Saturdays and Sundays March to November for adults, children and concession ticket holders.
• Schools in Residence Education programme hosting primary schools for six sessions yearly, with outdoor learning activities and curriculum-aligned experiences at Ferry Meadows.
• Events Programme Year-round calendar of events including Try Running, Wellbeing Wander, Tai Chi, yoga, pond dipping, bug hunts, craft workshops, guided walks, food festivals and seasonal celebrations.
• Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) Services Habitat creation and enhancement services for developers to achieve Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) requirements, including woodlands and wetlands across the Nene Park estate.
• Donations and Fundraising Online donation system and various fundraising options including Celebration Leaves, memorial benches, legacy gifts and easyfundraising, supporting Nene Park Trust.
• Foodie Fridays Weekly outdoor food and drink event at Ferry Meadows Visitor Centre with street food vendors, drinks and live music from local performers, running Fridays May to September.
• Orton Meadows Golf course location within the Nene Park portfolio featuring Nene Golf and Pitch and Putt, Blind Tiger Taproom and Kitchen, The Granary Pub, Premier Inn and Notcutts Garden Centre.
• Rural Estate Scenic landscape stretching west from Ferry Meadows to the A1, featuring Ermine Street Roman road remains and rich historical sites.

Quantifiable outcome

• Your Community Greenspace project: £1.965 million investment over 5 years improving park infrastructure and community engagement
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Saba UKcoreTechnology or IntegrationManages the ANPR-based parking system at Nene Park car parks including entry/exit barriers, payment machines, and membership recognition. Parking members can purchase memberships directly at sabaparking.co.uk/nene-park-car-parks.
• Caravan and Motorhome ClubcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFerry Meadows Club Campsite is one of the Caravan and Motorhome Club's most popular sites, open all year round and booked through the club's website.
• Central ConnectminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal bus company partnered with Nene Park Trust to run special weekend bus service from locations around Peterborough city into Ferry Meadows during summers 2024 and 2025, addressing lack of regular bus routes.
• Nene Valley RailwayminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHeritage railway running between Wansford and Peterborough with two stations in Nene Park (Ferry Meadows and Orton Mere), providing visitor access and connecting park sites.
• Blind Tiger Taproom & KitchenminorOthersCatering partner for venue hire at Ferry Meadows, offering sourdough pizzas with gluten-free and vegan options. Also operates as nearby pub/restaurant (Blind Tiger Taproom & Kitchen, Orton Meadows).
• Lakeside Kitchen & BarminorOthersOn-site café and catering partner at Ferry Meadows, offering wraps, sandwiches, salads, hot dishes, and desserts. One of the exceptions to BBQ ban during high fire risk periods.
• Tea and the GangminorOthersOperator of Thorpe Meadows Café, serving freshly brewed coffee, tea, matcha, brownies, cookies, toasties, sandwiches, and cakes. Also provides catering for hire spaces.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• National Trust: The UK's largest conservation charity operating heritage properties, gardens, and countryside; shares the membership, donation, grant, and venue-hire revenue mix but operates at far greater scale and geographic reach.
• Canal & River Trust: UK-wide charity managing waterways and towpath recreation with similar heritage, conservation, volunteering, and visitor-services pillars, but at materially larger national scale than Nene Park Trust's Peterborough estate.
• The Royal Parks: Charity managing London's royal parks with events, education, venue hire, and concession income; comparable charitable operating model but in a metropolitan London context with higher visitor density.
• English Heritage: Charity custodian of historic sites and monuments across England, comparable in heritage conservation, scheduled monument stewardship, and tour-based revenue at Norman Cross and Longthorpe Tower.
• The Wildlife Trusts: Federation of 46 local wildlife trusts running nature reserves with education, volunteering, and visitor programmes; comparable in charitable structure, conservation mission, and community engagement approach.
• Forestry England: Government agency managing England's public forests with recreation, education, events, campsite concessions, and BNG services; comparable in woodland management, outdoor recreation programming, and conservation-led operations.

Direct peers

• The Parks Trust: Independent charitable trust managing parks and greenspaces in Milton Keynes, with a comparable portfolio of country parks, events, watersports, education programmes, and venue hire, and the same hybrid charity/commercial revenue model as Nene Park Trust.
• Rutland Water Nature Reserve: Large inland nature reserve with watersports, sailing, cycling, angling, and visitor centre operations managed in partnership with Anglian Water; closely comparable activity mix and regional UK country-park model.
• Bewl Water: Reservoir-based outdoor activity destination offering sailing, kayaking, paddleboarding, cycling, and events; comparable watersports-led activity centre operating model to Nene Outdoors at Ferry Meadows.

Emerging players

• Yorkshire Wildlife Park: Commercial wildlife and nature attraction offering family activities, education, and events; comparable mix of outdoor recreation and conservation education, though structured as a for-profit operator rather than a charity.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/NeneParkPboro
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/neneparkpboro

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Nene Park Trust