Montgomeryshire FEI Cluster Group

Annual General Meeting

Tuesday 19th February 2013

Ysgol Cedewain

Minutes

1. Welcome, Introduction and Apologies

Present:

Kate Jones – Forestry Commission Wales

Nigel Phillips – Coed Cymru

Ffion Hughes – Forestry Commission Wales

Colin Titley – Montgomeryshire Forest School

Carol Thomas – Montgomeryshire Forest School

Apologies:

Both Coed group

Tom Deakin – Ysgol Cedewain

Dilys Bates – Guilsfield CP School

Sarah Thomas – Montgomeryshire Forest School

Mel Chandler – Montgomeryshire Wildlife Trust / Montgomeryshire Forest School

Dave Thomas – Montgomeryshire Forest School

Annual General Meeting

a.  Chair’s report

Nigel had prepared a report which can be downloaded from here. Nigel stepped down as chairperson of the cluster group and was thanked for his time in office.

b.  Treasurer’s report

Gareth had prepared a report which showed few transactions for the year including income from the FEI small grant and transactions for the Forest School training grants and woodland Olympics grant. The cluster group bank balance remains at nearly £700. Nigel and Gareth will remain as signatories for the cluster group bank account.

c.  Election of officers

The following officers were elected for the coming year:

§  Chairperson – Colin Titley and Montgomeryshire Forest School members to rotate role

§  Treasurer – Gareth Davies

§  Secretary – Kate Jones/Ffion Hughes

Main meeting

2. Matters arising from the minutes of the last meeting:

There were no matters arising.

3. FEI Themed Grant

See below

4. Potential projects for FEI funding:

Charcoal project -

Montgomeryshire Forest School (MFS) described plans for a future project. They are planning to run a Charcoal Project will enable them to move towards financial sustainability rather than being funding dependant and will offer an opportunity to volunteers of all ages. This is an inter-generational project, all cluster group members and many others can be involved.

The aim of the project would be to encompass practical charcoal burning, sale of locally produced charcoal, promotion of traditional skills and woodland management.

Initially charcoal burning would be undertaken by MFS as part of current activity with a growth strategy of offering charcoal burning on a more commercial basis. All monies would be reinvested into MFS activity including the offering of sustainable volunteer opportunities.

MFS current activity involves volunteer woodland management through a partnership pilot project with Tir Coed. The project, ending in March 2013, involves 16 -25 year olds who are ‘Not in Education, Employment or Training’ (NEETs), undertaking coppicing and other woodland management skills. As part of this activity, charcoal burning, in an adapted oil drum, was undertaken and the young people were enthusiastic about the possibility of producing and selling charcoal. This led MFS to consider this application for funding to purchase a charcoal burner and ancillary equipment.

MFS has researched charcoal burners and the criteria of transportation to other sites with ease, identified a 6ft single kiln which could be transported on a pickup truck or flat bed trailer. MFS members have their own vehicles and trailers.

Ease of transportation also ensures that the project can be taken to cluster group events and the wider community e.g. a charcoal burn in a woodland near a village where the community can engage from school children to adults; opportunity for older members of a rural community to advise on traditional skills and an opportunity for reminiscence; the opportunity to hire out or offer a commercial burn to ensure sustainable funding for MFS; ability to offer training in charcoal burning.

This project will provide many opportunities to learn first-hand about woodland management. It will promote inclusion, diversity and sustainability, and offers all in the cluster group and local community the opportunity to be involved, coupled with a platform for the development of confidence, self esteem and employability skills.

The FEI is now offering a themed grant of £300 for woodland management or climate change themed activities. It was agreed that the cluster group will apply for the grant, and use it to purchase a charcoal burner.

This will then be used as an essential element of a larger FEI project, which will be submitted for a Project Grant in the June 2013 funding round. It was agreed that the project would complement all of the FEI aims and the application was passed by the cluster group.

ACTON POINT: Kate to submit themed grant form - Done

ACTION POINT: MFS to draft project grant application form

Castell y Dail project -

The possibility of repairing the Castell y Dail Forest School site in Newtown was discussed. The site was originally developed through an FEI funded cluster group project but local schools and groups haven’t been using the site lately because of the amount of vandalism and litter there. It was hoped that a project involving local young people might reduce the amount of anti-social behaviour and allow the site to be used again. It was agreed that this could be a future project that the cluster group could undertake but would need involvement from the Council.

5. Updates from those present:

Ysgol Cedewain –

Two members of staff, Tom Deakin and Kelly Lubran, are soon starting a level three training course to become Forest School leaders.

6. Local and National updates:

Forest Education Initiative (FEI) –

Plans are underway to organise the National Networking Day which is provisionally being held in Mid Wales in October. The event will have a seed to saw focus and it is hoped that site visits to forests and a saw mill will be included.

FEI Wales now publishes a bulletin on the FEI website www.foresteducation.org at the start of every month, which members are notified about by email. If you do not receive this please contact .

Due to the FEI now giving 100% funding for projects there was much increased interest in the February funding round and a number of projects were submitted. There will be more information about the successful projects in future FEI bulletins.

Information about FEI projects and free resources are available on the FEI website www.foresteducation.org.

Forest School (FS) –

Over the next two years a programme of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) training will be deliveredby Forest School Wales for all those interested in Forest School. Each day costs only £15 for FSW members or £30 for non-members. For further information please see this flyer. Booking forms can be found on the FSW website or contact Barbara Haddrill, telephone 0845 456 0342 or email . One free place will be offered on each course for an FEI member or local volunteer who will help on the day (plus expenses), please contact FSW for more information.

Forestry Commission Wales (FCW) -

Kate Thomson and Leigh Denyer are the local Education Officers for the area who can organise free educational woodland visits for schools and groups. Their contact details can be found at http://www.forestry.gov.uk/forestry/infd-77le7m or Tel 0300 068 0300.

From 1st April 2013, Natural Resources Wales will take over the functions currently carried out by the Countryside Council for Wales, Environment Agency Wales and Forestry Commission Wales. The Forest Education Initiative will continue to be facilitated by Natural Resources Wales. There are no immediate plans for change.

Kate is starting maternity leave on Friday 15th March. Ffion Hughes will take over as secretary of the cluster group, or telephone 07831 410 666.

7. Date and venue of next meeting:

The next meeting will be held on Tuesday 23rd April, 4.15pm, venue TBC.