Sizewell C has joined forces with East Suffolk Council and Suffolk County Council to launch East Suffolk Trust – tasked with making East Suffolk the “most ecologically diverse and resilient area in England”.
Sizewell C has pledged £78 million at least to East Suffolk Trust, or EaST, over the next 70 years. It will distribute funds to local organisations through a dedicated grant scheme with it envisaged that it could serve as a greenprint for how major infrastructure projects can deliver local nature recovery across the UK.
EaST will be governed by an independent board of trustees and received unrestricted donations of £1.5 million through Sizewell C’s construction and first 20 years of operation. After that point, annual contributions will be set at £750,000. It will also seek funding from local businesses and organisations, further strengthening its ability to drive change.
First grants will be awarded in spring 2026, with a website, further details about the application process, eligibility criteria and grant procedure launching later this year, and a Chief Executive Officer currently in the process of being recruited.
Philip Faircloth-Mutton, Suffolk County Council Cabinet Member for Environment, Communities and Equality, commented: “The charity’s ambitious grant-giving programme will empower people and organisations to better conserve, protect and enhance Suffolk’s existing wild landscapes and seascapes. From hedgerows to woodlands, ponds to wetlands, EaST will boost biodiversity and build resilient eco-systems to address the dual challenges we face; climate change and the biodiversity crisis.”
