Taking inspiration from Jersey
A blog by Catherine Leonard, INTO Secretary-General
Our October visit to the National Trust for Jersey was more than a chance to explore the island’s rich heritage – it gave the us space to reflect and plan INTO’s future. Surrounded by beautifully restored farm buildings and coastal landscapes, we spent a full day at Morel Farm working on strategy, budgeting and priorities for the year ahead. That time, combined with conversations with NTJ colleagues and visits to their projects, left us inspired and energised.
About the Jersey National Trust
The National Trust for Jersey was established in 1936 and will celebrate its 90th anniversary in 2026. For nine decades, it has protected, managed and preserved the island’s natural beauty, rich wildlife and historic places, from clifftops to coast, and from landscapes to buildings. It is a charity that relies on membership, donations and legacies to deliver conservation, education and community programmes across more than 170 important sites.
The Elms in St Mary serves as the heart of the Trust, and every autumn it becomes the setting for the much‑loved Black Butter festival, a living tradition that brings volunteers together to peel apples, stir the copper bâchin through the night and celebrate on market day.
The Trust also cares for working heritage like Le Moulin de Quétivel in St Peter’s Valley, the island’s only surviving working watermill, and stewards restored landscapes such as Plémont headland, transformed from derelict holiday camp to thriving coastal habitat.
Relationship with INTO
Our relationship with the National Trust for Jersey goes back many years. Former CEO Charles Alluto joined us for several INTO Conferences and generously advised colleagues on projects as far afield as Barbados and St Helena. We have also sent National Trust colleagues to Jersey, including Karin Taylor and Maggie Morgan, to support on planning and operations respectively.
In recognition of its outstanding work, NTJ received an INTO Excellence Award in 2022, celebrating its leadership in heritage conservation and community engagement.
Today, that spirit of collaboration continues. Jon Parkes joined the INTO Incubator, and NTJ is also part of INTO Places, our global network of heritage destinations. We keep linking NTJ colleagues to peers across the network, from introductions to the Dunster Castle mill team for knowledge exchange on historic milling to linking with nature conservation colleagues in New Zealand to research connections with National Trust specialists. During this visit we also explored how the Grève de Lecq café site could host an INTO event in 2027, underlining NTJ’s community hub as a centre of island‑wide engagement.
We were glad to also talk about TAP INTO travel grants and other small opportunities to connect NTJ staff and volunteers with peers internationally, keeping exchanges practical and focused on skills.
Why This Visit Matters
Our conversations were grounded in NTJ’s strategic themes: real community engagement and demonstrating value to the Jersey economy through robust statistics. The Trust has been working with PwC Channel Islands to build stronger impact metrics and narrative, part of a wider island effort to evidence the contribution of the third sector to economic and social wellbeing.
We also discussed future possibilities for NTJ to share its expertise internationally through our existing programming but also potential new projects.
Highlights of the Visit
An afternoon at The Elms
We spent several hours with the team digging into INTO opportunities, then returned in the evening to join volunteers peeling and chopping apples, and stirring the bâchin. The next day we were back for the Black Butter Market, speaking with staff and volunteers, and seeing just how loved the Trust is by the community.
Le Don Wheeler (the “Schalthaus”)
We visited the German electrical substation at Le Bourg, gifted by Sue Wheeler in memory of Laurence Wheeler. NTJ had considered conversion to holiday accommodation, but is now focused on a lower‑cost, higher‑impact plan as a wildlife hide and small interpretation space.
La Ronde Porte
A recent bequest and a gem of Jersey’s farming heritage, with buildings from the 17th to 20th centuries. NTJ intends a mixed‑use future, combining rental with a community hub that supports rural enterprise and agriculture, once the complex is stabilised and restored.
A visit to Grève de Lecq café
A landmark coastal site, now formally gifted to NTJ and planned as a community hub. The Trust’s preferred option retains the car park and free parking, provides disabled access to the promenade, offers family‑friendly food and beverage, and adds facilities for marine sports and active travel. We discussed using the space for an INTO event in 2027.
Staying at Morel Farm
I had the enormous pleasure of staying on site and we used The Chapel as a base to work through INTO strategy and budgeting. Morel Farm’s restoration has created beautiful self‑catering accommodation while showcasing sustainable retrofit of historic buildings.
Island circuit
A quick tour to Plémont Bay and Le Moulin de Quétivel before returning to The Elms. Plémont’s restoration from development threat to nature‑rich headland is a flagship story of public support and stewardship, and Quétivel remains a touchstone for living industrial heritage.
People
The people we met were of course the real highlight: CEO Alan Le Maistre, and colleagues across lands, operations, education and ecology, including Jon Parkes, Annette Blanchet, Erin Cowham, Bryony Lee, Cris Sellarés, Louise Whale and Henry Glynn, as well as Council members, volunteers and supporters. The energy and openness to collaboration set the tone for practical follow‑ups across the network.
Lessons for INTO Members
Community first
NTJ’s approach, particularly at Grève de Lecq, but actually all over the island, shows how consultation can shape practical outcomes that balance heritage, access and biodiversity. The lesson is clear: co‑design early and keep options grounded in local use.
Measure impact
Working with independent analysts to build a credible economic and social impact narrative pays dividends. The PwC work gives Jersey’s third sector a common language of value and NTJ is applying that lens to demonstrate how conservation supports the wider island economy.
Reuse and adapt
Morel Farm and La Ronde Porte illustrate how sensitive reuse can secure heritage while generating income. From holiday lets to mixed use and skills partnerships, diversification builds resilience for small trusts.
Share expertise
Every trust has a role to play in global heritage conversations. NTJ’s experience in adaptive reuse and community engagement offers lessons for peers, and INTO can help amplify these through case studies and events.
Reflections
We left Jersey inspired and grateful. The visit blended heritage in action, strategic thinking and a joyful community tradition. I’d been part of the team that had recruited Alan last year and it was wonderful to see how the team is setting a confident course. The Trust’s mix of economy‑minded stewardship, lively volunteer culture and collaborative spirit is exactly what our movement needs.
Next year will be a milestone for NTJ as it marks its 90th anniversary and we’ll be celebrating with you. We have already followed up on milling expertise for Quétivel, research connections for ecology and endowments for INTO. We look forward to developing opportunities for the 2027 Incubator and Nature and Islands Summit!
