Northam Burrows Charity

Northam Town Council's work with Northam Burrows gained charitable status on the 1st July 2021. The trustee of the Charity is Northam Town Council.

Objects of the charity

(1) The object of the charity is to manage and preserve for the benefit of the inhabitants of the Ancient Manor of Northam the rights of common held by the inhabitants in relation to the Common Land known as Northam Burrows in Devon such land being more particularly described in the Schedule.

(2) If and in so far as the income of the charity cannot be applied towards the object specified in sub-clause (1) above, the trustee may apply it for the general benefit of the inhabitants of the wards of Northam, Westward Ho! and Appledore in Devon in such charitable ways as the trustee thinks fit.

The Charity's schedule scheme may be read here.

The Charity's grant giving policy may be read here.

Northam Burrows Charity - Grants

NORTHAM BURROWS CHARITY

2026 GRANT APPLICATIONS

Organisations that wish to apply for a grant from the Northam Burrows Charity must apply on the form obtainable from this page

Hard copies are available from the Charity Trustee’s Secretary, care of the Council Offices, Windmill Lane, Northam. EX39 1BY

The 2026 grant fund is expected to be no more that £15,000. The maximum single grant award is expected to be no more than £5,000. The Charity welcomes applications for grants of amounts up to and including this figure.

The Charity Trustee may only award grants to those organisations that benefit the inhabitants of the wards of Appledore, Northam and Westward Ho! in such charitable ways as the trustee thinks fit.

Completed forms should be returned to the Charity Trustee’s Secretary, care of the Council Offices, Windmill Lane, Northam. EX39 1BY, or by email to admin@northamtowncouncil.gov.uk

by midnight on 9^th July 2026.

Northam Burrows Charity has opened its 2025 grant round, in line with Object 2 of the Northam Burrows Charity, the Objects of which are above.

Annually, the Charity invites applications for grants which align with the criteria in Object 2 above.

Completed forms are to be returned by midnight on Thursday 9^th July 2026. The Charity will consider the applications at its meeting on the 16^th July 2026. This meeting is open to the public.

To download an application click HERE

Northam Burrows Country Park

Northam Burrows Country Park lies at the western edge of the Taw Torridge Estuary. Lying within an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty the Burrows forms an integral part of North Devon's UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.

Further information is available on Torridge District Council's Northam Burrows webpage, or contact Michael Day, the Burrows Ranger at:
The Burrows Centre
Sandymere Road
Northam
BIDEFORD
EX39 1XS
Tel: 01237 479708

Email: northam.burrows@torridge.gov.uk

Click this link for a copy of Torridge District Council's Northam Burrows Leaflet.

Northam Burrows Country Park is a Site of Special Scientific Interest. It is about 253 hectares of grassy coastal plain with salt marsh, sand dunes and generally unimproved grasslands.

The Burrows provides one of the access points for the two miles of Westward Ho! Beach, thus combining the best of opportunities for land and marine leisure activities. The main ramped access point to the beach is available from the town of Westward Ho!

The Park is open to pedestrians at all times but there are restrictions on vehicles. The Burrows Centre is open from the end of May to early September and the toilet facilities from Easter to the end of September.

The Burrows Centre is to be refurbished, and it is hoped it will be open for the late spring and summer season 2021.

A new trail to explore at Northam Burrows!

The team on Northam Burrows have introduced a new Covid safe trail to explore. This coincides with the wider project work bringing improvements to the visitor centre and other facilities on the Burrows. This includes the reopening of the footpath linking to Westward Ho! which was damaged by storms.

The audio trail consists of QR codes displayed on wooden posts and can be found along the South West Coast Path between the Burrows Centre and the Skern road. By scanning the QR codes with a smartphone, people will be able to access an audio clip all about that particular area of the Burrows as well as a map showing where to discover the rest of the trail. Visitors can learn fascinating facts about the local area and can visit as many or as few of the trail points as they like.

Northam Burrows is common land and home to many sheep, horses and wild birds and animals so we ask all visitors to keep their dogs under close control when visiting and to drop litter into bins provided or take it home with them.

Northam Burrows Country Park is open to vehicles from 7am to 10pm every day (toll charges apply). Although the visitor centre is currently undergoing building works, there are temporary toilet facilities in Sandymere car park and both Le Petit Café and Hockings ice cream vans can often be found on site.