The Nell Bank Charitable Trust

Who we are

BORN OF A JUBILEE

Nell Bank was created in 1977 as a Queen’s Silver Jubilee project, championed by Paul Hockney, the then Lord Mayor of Bradford. The ambition was bold, to give children from inner-city Bradford access to the amazing countryside they had on their doorstep. That founding ethos of access and inclusion remains central to all of our work 50 years later.

AN INDEPENDENT CHARITY SINCE 2022

For more than 40 years the centre was run in partnership between the Queen’s Silver Jubilee Centre Trust and Bradford Council. On 1 March 2022, the Nell Bank Charitable Trust took on full responsibility and we are now a fully independent charity.

POWERED BY VOLUNTEERS

Volunteers secured Nell Bank’s future in 2022. Our volunteer trustees led the move to independence and around 200 volunteers now give their time as working trustees, providing governance, fundraising, event support and helping with a range of activities on site. In 2024, their dedication was recognised with The King’s Award for Voluntary Service, the highest award given to local voluntary groups in the UK.

24,000 VISITORS A YEAR

More than 24,000 visitors come through our gates each year, from schools and community groups across Bradford, Leeds, Kirklees, Wakefield and beyond. Children come from the age of three, and all participate in curriculum-linked day visits and residentials. For some it can be their first night away from home, or a first experience of the countryside.

ONE IN FOUR ARE FREE OR SUBSIDISED

There should never be a reason a child cannot visit us. Bradford is the 12th most deprived Local Authority in England and many of the children we serve have little access to green space. To address this, around one in four of our visitors comes on a free or subsidised place, funded by our Assisted Places Scheme or through external funding we have secured. Our fully accessible facilities mean children with special educational needs and disabilities can also have a rich and varied experience in the outdoors when they visit us.

THE DIFFERENCE A VISIT MAKES

A visit to the centre is more than just fun in the fresh air. A 2026 University of Leeds study found that children leave Nell Bank more confident, resilient and independent, with stronger friendships and a deeper connection to nature. Every parent surveyed agreed that outdoor learning matters for their child’s health and wellbeing.