About us
Run for the people, by the people
Sawbridgeworth Land Trust is a community benefit society. We were set up by residents who wanted a practical answer to the steady loss of open land around the town – not another campaign, but ownership.
Who we are
We are a group of Sawbridgeworth residents – not developers, not a political party, and not a branch of the council. Everyone involved lives locally and gives their time voluntarily.
A community benefit society is a democratic structure: members join, members vote, and the society exists to benefit the wider community rather than its members personally. Our rules include an asset lock, which means land and money cannot be taken out of the society for private gain.
That structure matters. It is what lets us tell a donor, honestly, that a field bought with their money will still be a field long after all of us are gone.
By the numbers
Where we are today
These figures are placeholders – replace them with your current position before the site goes live.
- Acres protected
- 00
- Members
- 000
- Raised to date
- £00k
- Parcels in negotiation
- 0
Our story
How the trust came about
Placeholder timeline – swap the dates and events for the trust’s own history.
A conversation in the town
A handful of residents began asking what would happen to the fields around Sawbridgeworth over the next twenty years – and what could actually be done about it.
The society is registered
We registered as a community benefit society with an asset lock written into our rules, so that anything we buy stays in community hands.
First appeal opens
Our first fundraising appeal launched, backed by local donations and memberships.
Building the fund
We are growing our membership and our standing fund so that we can move quickly when land comes to market.
The committee
Who runs the trust
The society is governed by a management committee elected by the members. Placeholder details below.
Name to be confirmed
A short biography goes here – how long they have lived in Sawbridgeworth and what they bring to the trust.
Name to be confirmed
A short biography goes here – how long they have lived in Sawbridgeworth and what they bring to the trust.
Name to be confirmed
A short biography goes here – how long they have lived in Sawbridgeworth and what they bring to the trust.
Members welcome. Committee meetings are open to members and we publish our accounts each year. Join the trust to take part.
Questions
Frequently asked
Are you a charity?
We are a community benefit society, not a registered charity. Societies of this kind are registered with the Financial Conduct Authority and exist to benefit the community rather than their members. Our registration number is [to be confirmed].
What happens to the land if the trust folds?
Our rules contain an asset lock. If the society were ever wound up, its assets would have to pass to another asset-locked body with similar aims – they could not be sold for private profit or distributed to members.
Do you oppose all development?
No. We take no position on individual planning applications. We buy land and keep it open; that is the whole of what we do.
Can I visit the land you own?
Where access is safe and compatible with the wildlife on site, yes. Details for each parcel are on The Land.
How is my donation spent?
Donations go into our land fund. Where costs such as legal fees or surveys are unavoidable, we report them in our annual accounts.