Protesters from Bolton gathered at a “Sky Garden” urging the National Trust to cut ties with a bank they say “funds fossil fuels and arms.”

The campaigners gathered at Castlefield Viaduct near Deansgate in Manchester for a peaceful demonstration on Tuesday July 30.

They held up placards, gave out leaflets and collection signatures asking the charity to stop banking with Barclays, which they say is “Europe’s biggest funder of fossil fuels.”

Wendy Maycraft, of Bolton Extinction Rebellion, said: “I have been donating to the National Trust for years.

“But I didn’t realise that my money was going directly to Barclays Bank, a bank that funds fossil fuels and arms and so many other things that I am completely opposed to.

A previous protest held by Extinction Rebellion, the Green Party and others in Bolton last yearA previous protest held by Extinction Rebellion, the Green Party and others in Bolton last year (Image: Public)

“I don’t want my money to support such an unethical business and I wish the National Trust would make much more of an effort to cut ties with Barclays.

“They have known of their members’ ethical concerns for years now and they just don’t seem to be doing all that much about it.”

Extinction Rebellion, which campaigns around climate and environmental issues across the country, has grown its presence significantly in Bolton over recent months.

The group now runs monthly “Climate Café” events at the Albert Halls and has hosted several recent protests.

For this week’s protest, many of the group’s members travelled from Bolton to central Manchester to demonstrate at the Sky Garden.

The site is a Victorian era steel viaduct that has been transformed into a garden in the heart of Manchester and is one of hundreds of sites owned by the National Trust charity.

The Extinction Rebellion members held up “Love National Trust, Not Barclay” placards as they spoke with visitors and handed out leaflets.

In response, the National Trust says it will continue engaging with the banking sector to try and promote more environmentally friendly policies.

A spokesperson said: "The National Trust fully understands the urgency needed to find solutions to the climate crisis and the strength of feeling about this among some of our supporters.

“We welcomed Barclays' announcement that they will stop direct financing to clients engaged in oil and gas expansion, and that they will require their clients in the energy sector to prepare climate transition plans.

“It is critically important that we continue to engage with the banking sector to do more and faster to reduce financed emissions."

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Barclays has also said that it is working to focus on low carbon investments.

A spokesperson said: “Barclays is supporting an energy sector in transition, focusing on the diversified energy companies investing in low carbon, with greater scrutiny on those engaged in developing new oil and gas projects.

“We have stopped direct financing of new oil and gas projects, have set out clear requirements on our energy clients’ targets, transition plans or decarbonisation strategies, and have a target to facilitate $1trillion of Sustainable and Transition Finance by 2030.

“Last year we mobilised $67.8billion and while doing so, our financed emissions for the energy and power sectors reduced by 44 per cent and 26 per cent respectively, between 2020 and 2023.”