Revoke the charitable status of The Swannery Trust
Revoke the charitable status of The Swannery Trust
The Issue
HUNTING WITH FOXHOUNDS ALLOWED AT CHESIL AND FLEET NATURE RESERVE, HOME OF ABBOTSBURY SWANNERY – A BLATANT CONFLICT OF INTEREST
Abbotsbury Swannery in Dorset is a popular tourist destination whose purpose is to protect the world’s only managed colony of over 600 nesting Mute Swans [1]. Part of Chesil and Fleet Nature Reserve, Abbotsbury Swannery is owned by Hon. Lady Charlotte Townshend and managed by The Swannery Trust of which she is a trustee. The activities of The Swannery Trust are the “promotion, preservation and protection of swans and other such species of birds that are rare or threatened together with the conservation of Chesil Beach and the Fleet Lagoon” [2].
Abbotsbury Swannery has a policy of not allowing paying visitors to be accompanied by dogs (including assistance dogs) “due to the extremely sensitive nature of the site and the close proximity of visitors to a wild population of Mute Swans within the Nature Reserve” [3]. However, the Cattistock Hunt, with which Lady Townshend rides, has been witnessed on several occasions hunting with foxhounds on land owned and managed by the Trust [4].
It is clear that allowing hunting with foxhounds on land managed by The Swannery Trust is incompatible with the purpose of the charity and is a flagrant conflict of interest. We therefore call on the Charity Commission for England and Wales to withdraw the charitable status of The Swannery Trust, also known as The Fleet and Swannery Trust – charity number 1040740 [2].
Further information
- Abbotsbury Swannery is part of Chesil and Fleet Nature Reserve which is “an essential site for both fauna and flora, providing a vital habitat for many different species”. The international importance of this site is reflected in its six designations: i) Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI); ii) Special Area of Conservation (SAC); iii) Special Protection Area (SPA); iv) RAMSAR site; v) part of the East Devon and Dorset World Heritage Site; vi) Bass Nursey Area [5].
- The area incorporating Abbotsbury Swannery and the Nature Reserve is owned by former master of the Cattistock Hunt and multimillionaire Hon. Lady Charlotte Townshend who is still seen riding with the Hunt on a regular basis.
- Townshend, one of the richest people in the UK with an estimated fortune of £498 million [6], is owner of the extensive Ilchester Estates which include Abbotsbury Swannery and Subtropical Gardens [7]. Along with her husband James Townshend and business partner Marcus Kingswood Scrace, she is also a trustee of The Swannery Trust [2].
References
[2] charitycommission.gov.uk/en/charity-search/-/charity-details/1040740/charity-overview
[3] abbotsburyswannery.co.uk/disabled-access
[4] bloodbusiness.info/business/abbotsbury-swannery-dorset/
[5] fleetandchesilreserve.org/designations/
3,051
The Issue
HUNTING WITH FOXHOUNDS ALLOWED AT CHESIL AND FLEET NATURE RESERVE, HOME OF ABBOTSBURY SWANNERY – A BLATANT CONFLICT OF INTEREST
Abbotsbury Swannery in Dorset is a popular tourist destination whose purpose is to protect the world’s only managed colony of over 600 nesting Mute Swans [1]. Part of Chesil and Fleet Nature Reserve, Abbotsbury Swannery is owned by Hon. Lady Charlotte Townshend and managed by The Swannery Trust of which she is a trustee. The activities of The Swannery Trust are the “promotion, preservation and protection of swans and other such species of birds that are rare or threatened together with the conservation of Chesil Beach and the Fleet Lagoon” [2].
Abbotsbury Swannery has a policy of not allowing paying visitors to be accompanied by dogs (including assistance dogs) “due to the extremely sensitive nature of the site and the close proximity of visitors to a wild population of Mute Swans within the Nature Reserve” [3]. However, the Cattistock Hunt, with which Lady Townshend rides, has been witnessed on several occasions hunting with foxhounds on land owned and managed by the Trust [4].
It is clear that allowing hunting with foxhounds on land managed by The Swannery Trust is incompatible with the purpose of the charity and is a flagrant conflict of interest. We therefore call on the Charity Commission for England and Wales to withdraw the charitable status of The Swannery Trust, also known as The Fleet and Swannery Trust – charity number 1040740 [2].
Further information
- Abbotsbury Swannery is part of Chesil and Fleet Nature Reserve which is “an essential site for both fauna and flora, providing a vital habitat for many different species”. The international importance of this site is reflected in its six designations: i) Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI); ii) Special Area of Conservation (SAC); iii) Special Protection Area (SPA); iv) RAMSAR site; v) part of the East Devon and Dorset World Heritage Site; vi) Bass Nursey Area [5].
- The area incorporating Abbotsbury Swannery and the Nature Reserve is owned by former master of the Cattistock Hunt and multimillionaire Hon. Lady Charlotte Townshend who is still seen riding with the Hunt on a regular basis.
- Townshend, one of the richest people in the UK with an estimated fortune of £498 million [6], is owner of the extensive Ilchester Estates which include Abbotsbury Swannery and Subtropical Gardens [7]. Along with her husband James Townshend and business partner Marcus Kingswood Scrace, she is also a trustee of The Swannery Trust [2].
References
[2] charitycommission.gov.uk/en/charity-search/-/charity-details/1040740/charity-overview
[3] abbotsburyswannery.co.uk/disabled-access
[4] bloodbusiness.info/business/abbotsbury-swannery-dorset/
[5] fleetandchesilreserve.org/designations/
3,051
The Decision Makers
Supporter Voices
Petition created on 20 July 2025