FORESTERS’ FOREST
We were one of 32 organisations that ran Foresters Forest Projects.
Foresters’ Forest is a National Lottery Heritage Fund Landscape Partnership programme; formed in partnership with Forestry England, £2.5 million was put into 38 project across the Forest of Dean over a five year period, aiming to raise awareness and participation in the built, natural and cultural heritage that makes our Forest special.
We initially facilitate 3 of these projects, The New Leaf Social Forestry Project, Edible Forest and Heritage Craft Skills.
Adding Springs and Wells of the Forest of Dean, Home Education Sessions and more later with the underspent funds from other projects.
The New Leaf Social Forestry Project created a traditional crafts community at Kensley Shed, based within the Forest of Dean, helping and engaging with disadvantaged groups.
This includes those who were unemployed, vulnerable adults, are undertaking offender rehabilitation programmes, single parents who lack support, people with mental health problems, have additional needs and those who may be lonely and isolated. We also work with children who have been removed from the conventional education system or that are considered at risk.
Kensley Sheds was 'safe space' for social interaction and to learn new skills with no judgement or pressure.
The project's base is Kensley Sheds, that has undergone an eco-refurbishment; with our volunteers and participants playing an integral role in this process. The building has been clad and plumbing and wood burner installed; with plans to build a straw bale wall once we have secured our own lease with Forestry England.
a sad end to foresters forest
Towards the end of the Foresters Forest fund in 2022 we had been asking Forestry England to secure our future at Kensley Sheds, they promised us a 10 year lease, numerous times, in writing and in meetings, for which we had minutes.
However at Christmas 2022 a Forestry England conspired, not only to evict us from Kensley Sheds, but also tried to have criminal charges broughts against one of our team! All based on spurious allegations that we had neglected our duty of care.
In fact Forestry En gland had neglected their duty of care as land owners. We were absolutely and unequivocally cleared of all charges.
But that did not matter to Forestry England - they had given us 1 weeks notice to clear 8 years worth of love.
We simply could not comply with this, and needed to keep our belongings safe, so we stayed at the ‘sheds’ in our vans, whilst we sought a reasonable solution, and way forwards.
We asked that they give us until the end of the academic year so that we could finish delivering the qualification we were in the middle of, so as not to let down the children and communities we served.
We begged them not to spend tax p[ayers money on legal costs.
But they would n ot negotyiate, they totally stonewalled us.
Spending £30K on legal costs - only to have us evicted, at the end of August.
The date we had originally asked for.
£30K which could have been spent on delivering vitally needed support to this disadvantaged poverty stricken community.
Heritage Craft Skills
Heritage Craft Skills also receives eight funded days of courses a year over the five years of the Forester Forest programme We have managed to offer a range of workshops in the past two and half years some of which are listed below. Greenwood working including pole lathing, carving, bowl and spoon carving, coppicing and woodland skills, willow weaving, blacksmithing, organic tanning, textiles and ceramics. Pricing is the same as the Edible Forest workshops with any funds made feeding back into our other community projects.
Edible Forest skills
Forest fund eight days of Edible Forest skills workshops a year for five years, allowing us to provide these workshops at a reduced rate to the people of the Forest of Dean. Some examples of the workshops we have provided in the last two and half years are medicinal foraging, edible foraging, mushroom foraging, fermenting, design of forest gardens and permaculture orchards, pruning heritage fruit trees, grafting and propagation of heritage fruit trees, processing deer and small game and wild cooking. These workshops are provided on a sliding scale normally of around £10-£30 a day with free places being made available to Project volunteers and participants and to anyone who has an interest but can not afford to pay.
New Leaf Social Forestery
We have access to redundant Forestry England coppice and use this to teach our volunteers and participants traditional woodland management skills, b ringing the land back into cycle. The coppice that is harvested is then used for building materials, processed into handicrafts and sustainably managed coppice firewood which in turn is sold to the public.
