TAYSIDE FEI CLUSTER GROUP (TCG)
Meeting Minutes
Wednesday 16th May 2012 5-7 pm
The Cricket Pavilion, Doo’cot Park, Scone Road, Perth
Present: Alison Wilson, Lisa Snedden, Clare McClelland, Helen O'Brien, Alice Warren, Cath Latham, Judy Paul, Craig Leitch, Bonnie Maggio, Penny Martin, Lynnette Borradaile, Clive Bowman
Apologies: Gavin Davey, Claire Hewitt, Hamish Murray, Emma O’Shea, Joyce Gilbert
ITEM / ACTIONWelcome, apologies and introductions
The group was grateful to Gavin Davey of the Gannochy Trust for offering the Pavilion for this meeting at short notice.
Everyone introduced themselves as follows:
Lynnette Borradaile - freelance learning & teaching consultant, has agreed to be secretary of this cluster group (for one year only) Chairing today in place of Claire Hewitt (group Chair)/ storyteller who has sent apologies due to family illness.
Clive Bowman – Community Tree Cycle social enterprise company based by Alyth involving woodland management, and wood products working with young people. Clive is keen to expand this paid service of teaching skills and volunteering work, operating for about year and half. He was landscape architect, designing for communities, researcher for Perth college, now Community Tree Cycle. His team includes Chas Heath.
Alison Wilson practising Primary teacher seconded by RDM school to Outdoor Learning (OL) role in PKC, this post has been extended to 2013 – literacy and numeracy focus.
Clare McClelland, secondary maths teacher now in PKC OL team, aiming for consistent group approach.
Lisa Sneddon seconded from Meigle PS, now in PKC OL team developing online resources to support teachers recognising that many don’t live in Perth or nearby, also developing online activity card resources. Group recognises the opportunity for the FEI Tayside cluster to link to this Glow intranet site). Gavin Pyott is the contact (though may be finishing post soon).
Judy Paul – RSPB Loch Leven (previously Vane Farm) lifelong learning manager with new team and focus on OL. Schools & youth groups fully booked & links made to Quarrymill with PKC OL officers. Doing FS training. Aim to support culture shift within RSPB education and take OL to new depth, build up own experience and share ideas.
Craig Leith new Lifelong officer Loch Leven started April done FS training (Wales) – would like to follow through. Lifelong audience – take on new age groups.
Penny Martin– FEI Forest School Scotland Coordinator (p/t) and freelance outdoor/ environmental education.
Alice Warren based in Glasgow (Urban Roots) developing freelance work with twilight teacher training sessions.
Bonnie Maggio FEI Coordinator Scotland lives in Highland Perthshire deals with funding so not formal member of group given national role.
Helen O’Brien – arts development worker has done FS training also setting up outdoor playgroup in Dunkeld area & planning to put in FCS Seedcorn application.
Scott Martin PKC Ed Dept. and DoE support. Undergone L3 Forest School training with written work to complete.
Cath Latham works for Swiiss Foster Care Dundee, and links with a school in Angus. Undergone L3 Forest School training with written work to complete. Has developed good contacts with Doug Shearer (Dundee Forester) and Jane Wilkinson (Broughty Ferry) and is interested in working with trauma sufferers. Based in Perth. / 1. PKC OL team to send their PKC link for FEI website to Bonnie M/ Penny M
2. Lynnette B will send minutes of last meeting to Alison W to share; NB minutes of all meetings also available on FEI website cluster group page
3. All – contact Gavin Pyott for access to PKC GLOW site.
4. All send in summary info about yourself for Annex 1to Lynnette B if you haven’t done so already
Minutes of last meeting
Held 23/11/11
Who is missing? On-going need to recruit members, especially schools.
School contacts – increased with Eco school event attended by Bonnie M and Penny M 29 February 2012
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Bonnie M reported that Claire Hewitt has not submitted PKC bid but is going to European Pedagogues Congress event 2-4th October 2012. 17 places left. Booking form accessed via FEI website link www.foresteducation.org
FEI Partnership Funding – Alice Warren submitted bid – successful. Thanks to Alice for her hard work!
Equipment – Cath Latham has is dropping it off with Mike Strachan. Some items missing from existing box – may be with Jane Wilkinson. Bonnie has wooden games stored in her garage.
Alice chased contacts re. resources. Need to develop a resources list.
Rotate responsibility to share organisation among group.
Bonnie is going to be more stringent about how cluster groups function so can give functioning groups money to help in running group.
Project funding application done.
Outdoor food hygiene AP outstanding.
Minutes approved. / 5. Lynnette to circulate existing list to all.
6. All - forward good school contacts To Lynnette B. if you have them.
7. Lynnette to add email addresses to database with permissions.
8. Cath L. to count items and list of equipment in box – loppers and waterproof trousers.
9. Cath L. to drop off kit with Mike Strachan.
10. Bonnie Maggio to check with Jane Wilkinson about missing kit.
11. All – offers of possible future venues – send details to Lynnette B
Update on FEI Tayside cluster group
Lynnette gave an update on group member recruitment
Membership forms available to download on our cluster group page
http://www.foresteducation.org/cluster_group/tayside_fei_cluster_group/downloads/
As discussed. Database – resource and contacts growing.
Instructions to games – Jackie Cumberbirch is chasing Kenny Grieve / 12. Lynnette Borradaile to send new group members a membership form to complete
13. Bonnie to source instructions for wooden games
Treasurer update:
We had an opening balance of £334.29 (from previous cluster group). Received payment of £4976 FCS (April 2012) and earlier start up payment of £200 (Sept 2011). Current balance is £5479.42
We can apply for a further £200 small grants claim.
Invoices need to be kept for Rachel Lucas.
Penny M suggested we keep a small amount of petty cash available to cover costs such as tea/ coffee/ biscuits, postage etc. / 14. Penny M. to take out petty cash for group use
FEI Tayside cluster group project updates
The funding bid outlined 3 projects, covered by Partnership Fund, to build capacity.
Penny M. has uploaded details on the cluster group website pages under Projects:
http://www.foresteducation.org/cluster_group/tayside_fei_cluster_group/ / 15. Anyone interested in helping out with any project contact the lead person.
• CPD event – Alice Warren –twilight sessions. Alice has contacted PKC OL team. Idea developed from FS sessions Alice ran with Killin; also contact with Glen Lyon and Glenmore Primaries with the aim to build teacher confidence. The OL officers noted that Glen Lyon now have a FS trained member of staff so are less likely to seek external support.
Alice hopes to engage 4 schools over 3 or 4 sessions. Offer loose menu of options to teachers. Need to get schools to sign upProject aims to visit schools, i.d. sites locally, support teachers from surroundings schools. Look at developing a nuts and bolts practical approach and develop teacher skills (not pupils). Free service but need to charge for buy in? Suggestion that Alice charges a returnable booking fee to encourage commitment. Also call these woodland learning not FS sessions.
PKC OL officers noted they are offering twilights to any school in PKC. Risks Assessments avail to anyone but hard to access if class committed, so there is a need for teachers to understand these. / 16. Alice to set up meeting to further develop CPD with Judy, Lynnette, Susan Armstrong, Rebecca Logston, and others interested.
• Geodesic dome – Lynnette Borradaile – aims to build group capacity and create meeting outdoor shelter and group resource. Paul Henry to facilitate over a weekend and day. Project involvement from basic beginnings including selecting timber. Some dbate over whether this could include making the connectors. Volunteers – Heather & Emma, rest need to know dates before committing. Clive Bowman can offer space yard space and tools. Could camp. Need to consider travel budget for Paul.
Those interested or needing further information about geodesic domes see Geodesic dome Project report NE Scotland FEI cluster link – go to http://www.foresteducation.org/images/uploads/NEGeodesicdome-_Report_1.pdf / 17. Lynnette to circulate dates for weekend via Doodle poll.
18. Lynnette to send geodesic dome plan to Clive B.
• Open for Action event – Penny Martin
Venue is the Shed, Kinnoul Hill Perth, Saturday on 22nd September 2012. (Time tbc probably @ 10 – 4 pm) The plan is for a one day (weekend) event that showcases the skills of cluster group members and other local professionals to local teachers, youth workers, rangers etc. and general public.
Suggested workshops so far: 1) Kate Hookham - outdoor learning workshop, exploring spectrum of involvement; 2) Claire Hewitt - mini Woodlands Words n Wonders; 3) Cath Latham - sharing her experiences of working with foster children and their carers’ using Forest School approaches; 4) Matt Robinson/ Ardeonaig – activity to be decided; 5) Penny –art/ craft activity probably Hapa Zome; Scott Martin – poss. Available Bonnie & Alice to do outdoor cooking / flints etc. Clive do charcoal activity. Lynnette happy to do ‘drop in’ activities e.g. whittling sticks etc.
Scott has resources Kelly kettles, etc to share
Tie in to Alice’s twilight training package
OL team to think about learning trail
Pond activity?
Mud painting - Cath
PKC OL team can circulate info to schools. / 19. Offers of help either with organising or workshops on the day or resources to share please let Penny know.
20. Penny to do flier – with compressed pics – and fwd to PKC team to circulate
Budget & Resources
We have funds which includes covering costs for organising meetings, public liability insurance, the group shared ideas for using our resources budget:
e.g. Buy camera to document events and activities; schools documenting Scott M. noted that Fairview have DSL camera
Permissions – register for pics, need informed consent & email address
Evaluation – keep dynamic on day. Bonnie suggested a pinecone ‘voting’ activity for example.
Bonnie M. noted Partnership Fund deadlines – June, Sept, Feb. Does anyone have any ideas? Lynnette interested in Forestry Careers for young people, may link in to Clive Bowman’s afterschool leavers. Judy Paul qualified careers advisor/ personal/ youth coach also social inclusion/ career management – interested like Cath working with vunerable groups. Perth College. Al proposals need to be minuted in 2 meeting minutes - – need another Cluster Group meeting at end of August/early September.
Judy noted RSPB worked with Portmoak Primary on a transition careers activity
Offer to primary/ senior pupils –Judy/ Clive to develop. Work up project idea by mid-August and apply for September deadline (6 months to deliver). / 21. Bonnie M. to check with other cluster groups re insurance and send info to Penny M
22. All to share evaluation ideas
23. Penny M to post question FB page
24. Alice W. to send info. to Lynnette B. to circ.to group
25. Judy P./Clive B. to develop careers project ideas for mid/end of August ; to be worked up as a proposal – PM to send copy (compressed for printing) of last proposal to Judy.
26. LB to ensure Careers project minuted at next meeting – see 29
Any Other Business – including updates on other projects
Penny passed on Gavin Davey’s (Gannochy Trust) update: Following a paper written by Margaret Lear in tandem with the Quarrymill developments, the GT plan to develop a learning centre and curriculum links for community groups and schools. The church hall at Scone will be the learning centre, with the glebe field to be developed as a wildflower meadow. Kinnoul Primary school will be sowing wildflower seeds 1st week of June.
Penny is collating contact details of all those in training or FS trained (Levels 1 -4) to create as complete a Scotland FS database as possible. This is to support the network and track the development of FS in Scotland. Please email your details to
Clive Bowman has Open Day Sat 9th June see www.communitytreecycle.co.uk
Booking for flower festival Dundee not happening / 27. OL team to fwd Penny‘s request for FS contacts to all PKC schools
28. All contact Penny re. their FS details.
Date, time, place for next gathering – group agreed rotation of roles for organising meeting / 29. Lynnette B. to Doodle for date meeting mid to late August
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