Award Recipients

When Nene Park Trust (NPT) was founded in 1988 to care for 700 hectares of greenspace along the Nene Valley in Peterborough, “sustainable development” was far from an everyday term. Nearly four decades later, it sits at the core of everything the charity does, a long, consistent commitment now recognised with The King’s Award for Enterprise in Sustainable Development 2026.

For a local charity to be honoured alongside national and international businesses, highlights the powerful role organisations like NPT can play in addressing climate, nature, community and wellbeing. As an environmental charity, the Trust embeds sustainability across all its work, from land management and conservation to education, volunteering and environmentally focused events. Its “double bottom line” approach ensures that social and environmental impact are weighed equally with financial sustainability in every decision.

This commitment delivers benefits for both nature and people. The Trust manages hundreds of acres for wildlife and holds a Green Investors in the Environment award, while also supporting the health and wellbeing of thousands of visitors each year. As a free, accessible green space, the Park offers recreation, education, volunteering and the simple restorative value of time in nature. For NPT, true sustainability means caring for the landscape and the community as two sides of the same purpose.

Investment has matched ambition. Over the past three years, the Trust has committed more than £10 million to sustainable development. This includes transforming over 500 acres of agricultural land for biodiversity net gain and regenerative farming, installing solar panels, creating new habitats, and establishing a volunteer run plant nursery. The flagship Your Community Greenspace project, supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, has invested over £3 million since 2021 to make the Park more welcoming, inclusive and climate resilient.

None of this would be possible without people. The award recognises the dedication of staff, volunteers, partners and trustees. Thousands of volunteer hours each year sit at the heart of the Trust’s success.

This award is both a celebration and a call to action: to remain a haven for heritage and wildlife, and a thriving green space at the heart of its community for generations to come.