Beloved landmarks across the county have received a financial blow, as the National Trust revealed it is set to lose up to £200 million this year due to the coronavirus crisis.

The conservation organisation is now appealing to the government for “urgent, practical” support after it had to halt a number of projects due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

There are more than 10 National Trust sites in Kent, from grand, historic homes to lesser-known, smaller spots, all set in glorious countryside.

Director general Hilary McGrady said “a sharp drop in income” is threatening the country’s environmental sector.

Speaking to BBC Breakfast, the charity boss estimated the trust “lost about 50% of our annual income literally overnight” when all its sites closed earlier this year.

Writing in the Daily Telegraph, Ms McGrady urged ministers to step in and “address nature, wildlife and environmental organisations with an immediate offer of support".

She also called on government to be environmentally-minded in its economic recovery plan, and added: “Delivering green infrastructure will create new jobs and makes economic sense and there have been some encouraging signs from government.

“No doubt some will argue for high-tariff fixes […] in some cases cutting back on environmental checks and spending to deliver these.

“Others will want the government to dilute its proposed new nature-friendly farming legislation. They must not win.”

The boss of the largest conservation charity in the UK believes “if we sacrifice the environmental progress we have made, everyone will suffer.”

With the closure of all its homes and gardens, the trust is finding ways for people stuck at home to connect with nature or amuse themselves during lockdown.

Managers at Chartwell in Westerham, the family home and garden of Sir Winston Churchill, yesterday released a recipe of the former Prime Minister’s favourite fruit cake.

This is to coincide with 75 years since VE Day on Friday, May 8, and a chance to celebrate with a slice of something the man who led us to victory in Europe loved.

Curators at Chartwell, now run by the National Trust, are also working virtually during lockdown to get the icon's paintings ready for a special exhibition.

In preparation for a major refurbishment, the home, near Sevenoaks, is one of the first to use a scaled digital replica of Churchill’s own painting studio, allowing a team of curators to work together virtually to curate 141 paintings in a studio reminiscent of the early 1960s.

Meanwhile, the charity wants to encourage people to enjoy blooming trees they can see from their windows or in their gardens and share their best images, as part of the project #BlossomWatch.

The move is part of the trust’s campaign to help people of all ages to become more connected with everyday nature.

The conservation charity had planned to launch #BlossomWatch as part of its 125th anniversary this year, and believes it is even more important as we treasure our scarce trips outdoors and need nature to boost our spirits during the coronavirus outbreak.

Visits to the organisation's recipes website have jumped by almost 900% during lockdown as people try their hand at baking.

Cheese scones have proved the most popular, with recipe downloads jumping by 3,009% compared to the same time last year.

The National Trust sites found in Kent are:

Cobham Wood and Mausoleum: a restored 18th century mausoleum, set in peaceful wood pasture, near Gravesend

Chartwell, Westerham: Family home and garden of Sir Winston Churchill, near Sevenoaks with 80 acres of gardens and countryside

Ightham Mote, Borough Green: A 14th century moated manor house, with 546 acres

Knole, Sevenoaks: One of the country's largest houses, it is set in 1,000 acres of parkland, known for its resident deer

Old Soar Manor, Borough Green: The remains of a late 13th-century knight's dwelling

Owletts, Gravesend: The family home of the renowned architect Sir Herbert Baker

Quebec House, Westerham: The childhood home of General James Wolfe, victor of the Battle of Quebec in 1759

Scotney Castle, Lamberhurst: A country house and 14th century moated castle, set in a 780-acre wooded estate

Sissinghurst Castle Garden, Sissinghurst: Vita Sackville-West and Harold Nicolson created the world renowned garden at the castle near Cranbrook

Smallhythe Place, Tenterden: Ellen Terry's early 16th century house and cottage gardens

South Foreland Lighthouse, Dover: Set on the White Cliffs of Dover, it was the first lighthouse to use an electric light

Stoneacre, Maidstone: A medieval yeoman's house and garden near Otham

The White Cliffs of Dover: A coastal site overlooking the English Channel offering windswept walks with breathtaking views

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