Providing funding and support to young changemakers in the UK’s Southwest on a mission to regenerate our world.
The Sawday Trust champions the young people, projects and small organisations in the Southwest who are driving the social and environmental change we need to see as part of a more regenerative and ecologically balanced society.
Our support is agile and nimble - allowing us to breathe life into impactful initiatives, with critical funding boosts, how and when it is needed most. We aim to add energy to ideas and so empower people to make an even bigger difference.
Origins
The Sawday Trust was born out of an ambition to use business as a force for good. After 30 years in business, in 2018, Alastair Sawday gifted 24% of his travel and publishing company, Sawday’s, to a charitable trust. A further 52% was sold to an Employee Ownership Trust. As majority shareholders and newly appointed custodians of the business, the employees were trusted to continue the work of inspiring more ethical and sustainable travel and business behaviour. Conscious of the impact tourism has on the environment, Alastair wanted The Sawday Trust’s 24% profit share to go directly towards the protection and preservation of our natural environment. The trustees brought experience and insight to help the Trust fulfil its promise and began seeking organisations and individuals making change across the environmental sector.
Since launching in 2018, The Sawday Trust has supported national conservation projects, global climate movements and young people building their resilience when campaigning for climate justice. As the climate and biodiversity crisis worsens and global environmental needs evolve, the Trust relies on its agility to continue rapidly to fund projects moving with urgency to protect the future of our planet.
Who we support
2025 Funding Update: In July 2025, the Sawday Trust awarded three major grants. As a result, no further grants will be made until 2026.
We support individuals, not-for-profits and purpose-driven organisations, who are innovating in the environment, climate, and biodiversity arena.
As a small charitable trust, we want to make small, but effective, grants to those who need a boost.
This includes, but is not limited to:
Environmental organisations, projects and movements
Environmental activism
Advocacy of system change
Awareness raising and communication
Seed / early-stage funding
Core funding
Emergency support
Grants for idea development
“We support social and charitable enterprise, community engagement, and environmental projects with long-term vision. We will support projects with strong climate-change and biodiversity awareness. We will be advocates for responsible business and, especially, for responsible travel.”
— Alastair Sawday
People we’ve supported
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Power Station CIC
Power Station is ‘show and do’ project building a solar POWER STATION across the rooftops (streets, schools, community buildings) of North East London as a rallying cry and call to action. The Sawday Trust funding will help to get their film into movie theatres around the country, with the aim for the movement will spread national.
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Somerset Wildlands
Somerset Wildlands is aimed at restoring some of that lost life and wildness through a process of rewilding. A grant from the Sawday Trust contributed to the essential core funding costs to help the team continue their important land restoration work, protecting wildlife and creating new habitats.
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Wilderme CIC
A not-for-profit dedicated to the autistic community, offering life-changing wellbeing nature retreats designed to optimise wellbeing and rekindle an ancient connection to the natural world. The Sawday Trust grant funded nine nature art and campfire music sessions for up to 180 people in the autistic community.
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Five Penny Farm
Five Penny Farm is home to agroecology training, campaigning and research centre. It combines the training in landskills with action on land justice. The Sawday Trust rust provided a grant to upgrade their off-grid energy system, allowing them to hosts groups year round and continue their important work in land activism and diversity and Inclusion.
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The Resilience Project
The Resilience Project trains and empowers young changemakers navigating pathways to resilience whilst addressing the climate crisis head on. in 2022 The Trust connected with The Resilience Project and provided a grant which employed two new staff members and helped to build their International Board of Youth.
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Save the Oaks
In 2021 Save The Oaks rescued thousands of saplings from being destroyed and distributed them to communities of tree-planters nationwide. The Sawday Trust provided a small grant to help the mission and found homes for 7000 oaks across 81 Sawday’s and Canopy & Stars property in the UK.
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European Climate Foundation
An independent philanthropic initiative working to help tackle the climate crisis by fostering the development of a net-zero emissions society at the national, European and global level. The Sawday Trust provided a grant of £10,000 directed to the importan work of environmental activism in the UK.
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Conservation without Borders
An inspiring charity following the paths of migratory species – connecting communities, business and government with essential frontline climate action. The Sawday’s Trust provided an emergency fund to help support core costs and allow the charity to develop and deliver new programmes.
"We’re deeply thankful to the Sawday Trust for their grant, this enabled us to bring on two new staff members and build our International Board of Youth. Dealing with the complex emotions of the climate crisis requires more than individual self-care. Our peer-support model fosters strong communities of collective care, where we can identify the strategies that take us from wellbeing to welldoing."
— Katie, Founder of The Resilience Project
The Trustees
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Alastair Sawday
TRUSTEE
Founder of Sawday’s, Alastair has dedicated much of his life to responsible travel and environmentalism. He was a trustee of The Soil Association for 10 years, and stood as a parliamentary candidate for the Green Party; was Chair of Bristol Green Week and the Bristol Green Capital Momentum Group. He founded Avon Friends of the Earth and published The Little Earth books.
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Miriam Turner
TRUSTEE
Miriam is former Co-Executive Director at the environmental campaigning organisation Friends of the Earth in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. She studied ecology, has a background in innovation and believes in the power of collective action to create the fast and fair changes we need.
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Sibusiso Tshabalala
TRUSTEE
Founder of Cognitive Paths and facilitator of Bristol Black History Month, Sibusiso brings over 15 years of experience in leading community-driven and purpose-led businesses. With a strong dedication to social justice, public engagement, and the equitable distribution of land, knowledge, and finance. Now a Green Party Councillor in Bristol, Sibusiso is dedicated to tackling social inequality through political action.
Contact
Please note, in July 2025, the Sawday Trust awarded three major grants. As a result, no further grants will be made until 2026. We’re a small team of trustees, with limited time to respond to requests and will be unable to reply to any applications for funding at this stage. We’ll update this page once we are accepting applications again.