by Graham Tutthill

gtutthill@thekmgroup.co.uk

An appeal to raise £1.2 million to buy more of the White Cliffs of Dover is being launched today by the National Trust.

Historian and television presenter Dan Snow has given the appeal his support and is encouraging others to do the same.

It will complete the missing link of coastline under National Trust care, uniting a stretch of more than 7km (nearly five miles) between the trust’s visitor centre at Langdon Cliffs and the South Foreland lighthouse at St Margaret’s.

The current owner of the land has offered it to the trust, but there is a deadline of the end of the year to raise the money.

It is the charity’s biggest ever coastal fundraiser and will mean people have access to more areas of the cliff top, and that it is cared for in such a way that it will improve its habitat for wildlife.

Hilary McGrady, Director for the South East at the National Trust, said: “Immortalised in song and literature, the White Cliffs of Dover have become one the great symbols of our nation.

“We now have a once in a lifetime opportunity to secure their future for everyone to enjoy.

“If we don’t raise the money then the future of the White Cliffs is uncertain and this stretch of coastline might one day be disrupted by inappropriate management or development.”

Mr Snow said: “For me it’s simple. The White Cliffs of Dover are one of the country’s greatest and most iconic landmarks.

“When I heard that the National Trust had this opportunity to safeguard this crucial stretch of the Cliffs, I thought great.

“It’s brilliant that they have a chance to secure this important section of the cliffs, for ever, for everyone.”

Gareth Wiltshire, pictured above, who works at the cliffs, said the trust will also be taking over a field which is currently rented out to a farmer.

“We will allow the natural grassland and wildlife plants to take over again,” he said. “It will take a few years, but it will be a real benefit to the wildlife.

As well as putting money into collection boxes at the White Cliffs Visitor Centre, there are three other ways that people can donate money to the appeal.

It can be done online at www.nationaltrust.org.uk/whitecliffsappeal and people can have their name engraved on a virtual White Cliffs.

They can text a donation. If they wanted to donate £5 they should text ‘DOVR02 £5’ to ‘70070’. The amount must be included in the text.

People can also make a donation over the phone by calling 0844 800 1895.

Full story in this week's Dover Mercury.