The response from Sawbridgeworth has been fantastic. In the first few weeks alone, 290 residents have registered their interest in the trust, and this is only the beginning.
Our application is with the Charity Commission
On 18 September 2026 we submitted our application to the Charity Commission for England and Wales to register Sawbridgeworth Land Trust as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO). A CIO is a charity that is a legal body in its own right, which means it can own land in its own name and hold it for the benefit of the community.
Our constitution, based on the Commission’s model for a CIO with voting members, was adopted on 4 September 2026. It fixes our purpose in writing: to acquire land in and around Sawbridgeworth and hold it in perpetuity, conserving its wildlife and landscape and keeping it safe and protected for the local community.
How long will it take?
The Charity Commission is currently experiencing significant delays in processing new applications, so we expect a fairly long wait before we are formally registered. Until then we cannot call ourselves a registered charity, open membership or accept donations. We will announce our registration here, and email everyone who has registered their interest, as soon as it is granted.
Who is behind the trust
Eight local residents have come together as our founding trustees, all of them unpaid volunteers. The board brings together legal professionals, land surveyors and marketing experience, and includes a number of serving Sawbridgeworth town councillors, who sit on it in a personal capacity.
The trust is independent of the Town Council and takes no position on individual planning applications. Our purpose is a simple one: to buy land, care for it so that wildlife and nature can flourish, and keep it safe and protected for the local community in perpetuity. Where a site can sensibly be made available for people to enjoy, we will do that; where it is better left undisturbed, it will be.
What happens next
As soon as registration comes through we will open membership, open our bank account to donations and begin building the standing fund that lets us act quickly when land comes up for sale. Membership will be open to everyone, with one member, one vote.
Be part of it
Land is expensive, and the bigger the movement behind the trust, the more of it we can protect. There are four ways you can help right now:
- Register your interest and we will email you the moment membership opens
- Tell us about land or a lead you think we should know about
- Offer your time or skills as a volunteer
- Share this page with neighbours who care about Sawbridgeworth’s green spaces
Questions? Email us at info@sawbridgeworthlandtrust.com.