The National Trust, Europe’s biggest conservation charity, took £6.2 million from a British philanthropist alleged to have trafficked women for sex. 

Hamish Ogston, a businessman-turned-philanthropist reportedly worth more than £130 million, is accused of human trafficking for either his private office or his foundation. The revelations emerged from a Sunday Times investigation. The newspaper also alleges that the multi-millionaire set up his foundation as a means to win a knighthood.  

Ogston is known to have donated to the National Trust, among a number of other arts and culture organisations across the UK, before the allegations first publicly emerged in September.  

In a statement to Alliance, the National Trust said it has used less than a third of the original £6.2 million given by Ogston. It is currently reviewing whether to return Ogston-related donations.  

“We carried out the necessary due diligence for a major donor and donation of this size,” read the statement from the National Trust, “We were satisfied with the due diligence we undertook on the Hamish Ogston Foundation before receiving funding.

“We are seeking advice on how to proceed and we will be filing a serious incident report shortly, in line with standard Charity Commission procedure.”

Account papers from Ogston’s foundation, seen by Alliance, show that the philanthropist awarded grants of £99,056, before refunds, for health organisations, £9,239,323 for heritage groups and £871,554 for music in the year ending 30 June 2022.

The £6.2 million awarded to the National Trust was allocated towards fifty-two apprenticeships in stonemasonry, carpentry and joinery, “with each apprentice guaranteed a one-year post-apprentice work placement with the National Trust to enable them to put their training into practice”, according to Ogston foundation account documents. It remains unclear as to whether apprentices will be funded elsewhere.

Other charitable arts organisations have already come out severing their ties.  

English Heritage says it will reject cash supplied by the Hamish Ogston Foundation. 

“Given the extremely serious nature of the recent allegations concerning Hamish Ogston, English Heritage has decided to sever its ties with the Hamish Ogston Foundation – of which Hamish Ogston is the chair,” it said in a statement. 

“Of the £11.2 million committed, we have received to date £667,000. We have placed those funds into a separate bank account where they are clearly identifiable, and we are returning them to the foundation. 

“We are not using any of the funds received from the foundation to apply against any spend we’ve incurred to date on our heritage skills programme – those costs are being paid from English Heritage’s own unrestricted funds. 

“Nor will English Heritage draw down on any further funds committed by the Hamish Ogston Foundation.” 

English Heritage says it has also filed a serious incident report with the Charity Commission for England and Wales. 

Historic England, another conservation body, says it will return the £50,000 received for its Heritage Building Skills Programme. 

Hamish Ogston has stepped down as chair of his foundation. 

Shafi Musaddique is a news editor at Alliance magazine.