DUMFRIES AND GALLOWAY
FOREST EDUCATION INITIATIVE CLUSTER GROUP
AGM of Tuesday 25th October 2011
Mabie Rangers Office
Present
Karen Slattery, Phoebe Marshall, Caroline Uchima, Jessica Shackleton, Tom Henry, Robin Fuller, Lesley Smith, Jenny Stephenson, Cecilia Franklin, Tom Donnelly, Hilary Parke, Bonnie Maggio.
Apologies
Naomi Wight, Mandi Houfe, Lucy Hadley.
Chair’s Report
Our achievements over the year:
1 level 3 NCFE National bushcraft award
1 session with Beat 54 (alcohol and drug support)
1 innovative woodland theatre project (Heathhall)
1 programme of forest school with home education group
1 summer programme of forest school type activities (Allanton)
1 international day of forest activities (Allanton)
2 level 3 forest school leaders qualified OCN – Phoebe, Cecilia
3 level 2 forest school assistants qualified OCN – Naomi, Karen, Mandi
6 level 3 forest school leaders started training – Jenny, Jessica, Eileen, Caroline, Tom, Robin
3 full weekends of forest school activities free and open to all (Taliesin)
6 primary schools and 2 nurseries involved in forest school (Gatehouse nursery, Scruffs, Palnackie, Penningham, Auchencairn, Springholm, Dalbeattie, Closeburn)
7 craft professionals involved in delivering skills and knowledge sessions linked to woodlands and wood products
10 forest sites within region used by forest school groups (Dumfries, Palnackie, Auchencairn, Dalbeattie x2, Gatehouse, Newton Stewart, Springholm, Allanton)
10 families attending regular forest school holidays and weekends (Gatehouse)
40 childcare students introduced to the practice of forest school.
We are grateful for the support of:
Forestry Commission Scotland
Determined to Succeed
Scottish Communities Trust
BSW Timber
Galloway Wild Foods
Wigwam Bakery
Carbon Foundation
Blue Sky Renewables
Seaview Designs
Southwest Community Woodlands
Cree Valley Community Woodland Trust
Appointment of Office Bearers
Chair: Phoebe Marshall – proposed by Hilary Parke, seconded by Cecilia Franklin.
Secretary: Robin Fuller – proposed by Tom Donnelly, seconded by Phoebe Marshall.
Treasurer: Jenny Stephenson – proposed by Phoebe Marshall, seconded by Caroline Uchima.
Minutes of Previous Meeting
Approved
Financial report
The balance of the group’s account stands at ￡236.86. Payments for training are pending which will use up most of this amount. The accounts require auditing – options to be investigated.
Membership
There is still a need to address membership and loan of tools, as the group’s equipment collection now stands at around ￡1000 worth. It was suggested that anyone can join the FEI group for free, but if they want to borrow kit for FEI projects they can join a ‘tool group’ for ￡10 a year. Members of the ‘tool group’ will be expected to provide evidence of insurance, disclosure, and level of FS qualification to the group secretary before being allowed to join. Personal businesses should not be classed as FEI projects. Only L3 FS leaders should be allowed to borrow knives. The group should check that any leaders have been through PVG/Disclosure prior to any FEI projects starting (if they are working with children). Cecilia will draft a policy on membership for the group’s consideration. Phoebe will pass on her kit inventory to Robin for scanning and addition to the website.
FEI W ebsite
Several members of the group received extra training on use of the website courtesy of Bonnie. There are changes planned to the website structure – more information to follow via Bonnie.
Rebranding of FEI 2012
The FEI will be 20 years old in 2012 and there are plans for a rebranding, including a possible name change to the Forest Education Partnership and an update of the logo. FEI England is likely to disappear, with a less formal network taking its place. The group suggested Dumfries and Galloway as the venue for any rebranding launch, as this was where the first ever FEI group was set up. As there will be no FEI networking event in autumn 2012 due to the Pedagogics Congress, it was suggested that May would be a good time for any launch. Possible venues worth investigating are the Aston Hotel and Mabie House Hotel, both of which are within easy access of woodland sites and sawmills.
7th EU Forest Pedagogics Congress
This will be held in Dunkeld on the 2nd – 4th October 2012, hosted by Forestry Commission Scotland, Forest Education Initiative Scotland and Living Classrooms
Aims of Congress:
1. To share and explore examples of best practice of Successful Partnership Working for Sustainable Development
2. To share and explore recent research relevant to Sustainable Development Education from a Forest Pedagogy perspective.
3. To provide networking opportunities for Forest Pedagogues from across the EU with a view to sharing experience and knowledge to improve practice.
Cost will be ￡150 for 2 nights/days. More information to follow or contact: .
FEI networking event
The next event will take place on the 1st December at SNH, Battleby. As always there is a free place for cluster group chairs. The theme for this event is partnership working and links to industry. The morning will cover FEI and industry case studies, with field visits planned for the afternoon. Anyone wishing to attend should liase with Phoebe.
FEI Partnership Fund
The fund will be kept at the same level for 2012 – up to ￡5,000 (match funding no longer necessary). CPD will be a priority for funding. Deadline for submissions is January 2012. The group discussed ideas for submission and it was agreed that a project targeting CPD and school staff training in Forest School ethos would be worthwhile. This will be considered further at the next meeting.
FCS Community Seedcorn Fund
Funding of up to ￡5,000 is available for non-school projects e.g. family events. The application is short but only covers new projects.
AOB
FEI Scotland is working with teacher training centres, to include more coverage of outdoor learning (including use of woodlands). This will highlight forest school as an option, but stress that any time spent outside with pupils is worthwhile. It will also reassure students about H&S, including the fact that there is no need for an AALA licence if sites are within one mile of a road and under 2000ft.
Date of next meeting
Wednesday 7th December 2011. 4.00pm to 6.00pm. Gatehouse of Fleet drop-in centre.