Cornish Gems names The Thousand Year Trust as Charity of the Year

Most people picture rainforests somewhere tropical and far away. But Cornwall holds some of Britain’s last fragments of a habitat that once covered up to a fifth of the British Isles, and a new partnership wants to bring those rare places to a wider audience.

Cornish Gems, a holiday letting specialist, has named The Thousand Year Trust as its Charity of the Year. The Cornwall-based charity is the only organisation in the UK dedicated solely to restoring and expanding Britain’s temperate rainforests.

Through the partnership, the company will help raise awareness and funds for the Trust’s conservation work, including plans to create Europe’s first temperate rainforest research station on Bodmin Moor.

📷The Parkinson family at Cabilla Cornwall

A charity built around a vanishing habitat

Founded in 2023, The Thousand Year Trust is working to reverse the decline of temperate rainforest in Britain. Once found across up to 20 per cent of the British Isles, these habitats are now among the UK’s most endangered ecosystems, with less than one per cent of their historic range remaining. The Trust’s mission is to triple the amount of temperate rainforest growing across Britain over the next 30 years.

Merlin Hanbury-Tenison, Founder of The Thousand Year Trust, said: “We are delighted that Cornish Gems has chosen to support The Thousand Year Trust. Cornwall is home to some of Britain’s last remaining fragments of temperate rainforest, yet these extraordinary habitats are still relatively unknown.

“By working with Cornish Gems, we hope to introduce more people to the importance of these rare ecosystems and inspire support for their restoration, so they can thrive for generations to come.”

📷The Parkinson family wearing T-shirts supporting the William Parkinson Living Laboratory

A laboratory in William’s name

The partnership carries personal meaning for the Cornish Gems team. Earlier this year, Digital Content Specialist Rachel Parkinson lost her brother, William, who passed away unexpectedly in January at the age of 26. William had a profound love of Cornwall’s wild places, wildlife and scientific innovation.

Working closely with William’s family, the Trust will honour his legacy through the creation of the William Parkinson Living Laboratory, a dedicated research space at its future rainforest research station in the Cabilla Valley on Bodmin Moor, a landscape close to William’s home and heart.

Rachel said: “The Thousand Year Trust’s work means a huge amount to my family and I. William cared deeply about Cornwall’s wild places, and knowing his name will be connected to research that helps protect them for future generations is incredibly special.

“To see Cornish Gems choose The Thousand Year Trust as its Charity of the Year is deeply meaningful, and I’m so proud the team is supporting something so close to my heart.”

📷The proposed research station

How the partnership will work

Over the next 12 months, Cornish Gems will encourage guests to donate to the cause when booking their holidays, while team members will support the charity through fundraising events and volunteer days.

Nadia Macer-Wright, Founder of Cornish Gems, said: “At Cornish Gems, our connection to Cornwall’s landscapes and communities is at the heart of everything we do, so supporting The Thousand Year Trust felt like a natural partnership.

“The charity’s work to restore and protect Cornwall’s temperate rainforests reflects our commitment to sustainability and creating a positive impact for future generations.”

Cornish Gems is a B Corp accredited independent holiday home specialist, curating stays from a handpicked portfolio of luxury self-catering properties across Cornwall. Since 2017, it has raised almost £27,000 through its Charity of the Year scheme, supporting organisations including Love Where You Are, Surfers Against Sewage, Cornwall Air Ambulance, the RNLI, Cornwall Wildlife Trust, Truro Foodbank and StreetVet.

More information is available at Cornish Gems and The Thousand Year Trust.

📷The rainforest at Cabilla Cornwall

📷The Parkinson family on site at Cabilla Cornwall