Autumn 2012 August - October 2012

An Appreciation Page 10

Open Afternoon Success! Tir Coed was thrilled to host an Open Af-

ternoon at Poor Man’s Wood at the end of

October. Over 35 people attended the

event at this little-known oak woodland

Reserve near Llandovery, including family

of the volunteers, residents from a nearby

sheltered housing project, local business

owners and funders. There was a guided

walk around the Reserve, before refresh-

ments and a volunteer awards-giving at

the new roundhouse wildlife hide.

The Event celebrated the Community

and Nature programme works at Poor

Man’s Wood since April 2011. The

project has seen 14 young people give

over 1,000 hours of their time, and

resulted in vast improvements to the

facilities at the Reserve. Reserve

Manager, Lizzie Wilberforce com-

mented: “The work that these young

people and Tir Coed staff have put into

this Reserve is priceless. I am pleased with the number of visitors

that have already been attracted to the Reserve by the Tir Coed

project and would welcome more people to come and experience

both the wealth of wildlife at this Reserve and the new works.”

Newsletter

WICKED Branching Out / Egin

Inside this Newsletter

• Communities And Nature

• Engagement Gateway • The VINE Pilot • Monitoring and

Evaluation

• Accreditation

• Branching Out/Egin News

• WiseWoods Wales

Volunteer, Jeno Davies, presented with his Agored Cymru (OCN) Certificate

R.I.P Simon Hewitt 1947 - 2012

Tir Coed

Trustee Vacancies

Could you have what it takes to join our

Board?

Interested?

Find out more angie@tircoed.org.uk

Communities And Nature

Pengelli Forest, Eglwyswrw June to December 2012

The Pengelli volunteers have completed the Twrch Trwyth Sculpture,

which now stands majestically in a small clearing. The shape of the carved

oak pieces resemble the body parts of this mythical boar (tusks, eyes and

rib cage). In addition, some of the carved oak lengths have been installed

nearby, one in the form of a serpent. The

sculptures will be a point of visitor interest, for

children in particular.

The volunteers have also started on the

bridge, felling 2 oaks and smoothing off the

surfaces for the main beams.

Much of the original group has moved on over

the past few months; 2 group members have moved onto college courses

in carpentry and blacksmithing, with another going onto a woodland train-

ing programme. However, we are pleased to

welcome 4 new volunteers to the programme.

Lead: Jamie Miller Support: Steve Parkin Tasters: 4 Sessions: 16 No. volunteer days: 99 No. volunteer hours: 585 Total no. volunteers 14 No. current volunteers: 6

Progression

College

Carpentry 1

Blacksmithing 1

Volunteering

Pen yr Allt 1

Communities And Nature

Poor Man’s Wood, Llandovery , April to October 2012

The Poor Man’s Wood

Volunteers have com-

pleted all of the works

scheduled for this hid-

den gem of an oak

wood, near Llandov-

ery. Participation

trailed off towards the end of the programme as many of the volunteers

moved onto work or college courses, although the remaining volunteers

have worked admirably to finish the works.

∗ 2 benches have been completed and installed, providing much-needed

rest opportunities to visitors as they head up the steep footpaths.

∗ 4 bridges, complete with intricately carved hand-rails are now in place,

creating a dry route around the Reserve.

∗ The access route to the Reserve from the near-by farmyard is still very

muddy. However, the County Council Countryside Access Officer plans

to make improvements to this right-of-way over Winter months.

In terms of increased visitor numbers, possibly the most effective new addi-

tion to the Reserve, is the installation of a new entrance sign at the start of

the access lane leading into the Reserve. (see front page photo). The new

signage will make the Reserve more prominent, leading to an increase in

visitors, who will be able to enjoy the new facilities. Already, there has been

a guided walk around the Re-

serve, organised as part of the

Landovery Sheep Festival, and

an Open Afternoon (see front

page for details). Future plans

include a primary school visit in

November. Details in the next newsletter.

Lead: Jamie Miller Support: Ray Miller Tasters: 4 Sessions: 25 No. volunteer days: 89.5 No. volunteer hours: 537 Total no. volunteers 9 No. current volunteers: 3

Progression Employment

Retail 1

College

Countryside Management 1

Volunteering

Traditional construction & horticulture 1

Furniture- Making 1

Accreditation: Agored Cymru (OCN) Unit Level Total

Achieved

Ancillary Structures to Access Routes

2 1

Most participants didn’t complete, due to leaving project before completion

Communities And Nature

Coed Simdde Lwyd, Cwm Rheidol October to November 2012

.

The Coed Simdde Lwyd group are all undertaking

land-based courses with Rathbone Training. The

young people, who are all aged 16 to 19 years, are work-

ing on a sheer slope at this oak wood reserve in Cwm

Rheidol, creating a new footpath, complete with steps and

edging. The work has been challenging, as, due to the

steepness of the slope, it takes a lot of effort just to get to

the work site. Although the attendance of some of these

young people has been sporadic, a handful have been

working tirelessly to achieve the tasks set.

This is the first time that Tir Coed have employed Rob

Smith to lead a project. Once a Tir Coed trainee himself,

Rob is proving to be a very competent lead and has built

up a good rapport with the volunteers. Rob is being supported by Trina Earl, a Rathbone Training

employee.

Once the group have competed the footpath, which will create a

circular route around the Re-

serve, they will move onto

installing information panels

and making benches, using

oak harvested from the Re-

serve.

All of the volunteers are work-

ing on a level 1 Agored

Cymru (OCN) unit in Conser-

vation Skills.

Lead: Rob Smith Support: Trina Earl Sessions: 7 No. volunteer days: 19 No. volunteer hours: 95 Total no. volunteers 7 No. current volunteers: 5

Engagement Gateway

All of the Engagement Gateway projects came to an end in May/June 2012. Tir Coed ran 2 ESF

(European Social Fund) contracts, one in the Convergence areas of Ceredigion, Carmarthenshire

& Pembrokeshire (for 2 years) and the other in the Regional Competitiveness & Employment area

of Powys (for 1 year).

The contracts overall proved to be very successful with most participants gaining positive out-

comes. Although some of the outputs

were a little disappointing, many out-

puts were exceeded, particularly in

Powys. The most positive and re-

warding output for Tir Coed has been

the number of participants progress-

ing into employment; in the conver-

gence area, the target was exceeded

6 fold. In the current economic cli-

mate this is a massive achievement.

There have been some incredible

individual journeys witnessed, all of

which pay tribute to the character

and determination of the participants.

Tir Coed and the participants defi-

nitely benefitted from having a Pro-

ject Mentor, who was able to work

with and support the participants for prolonged periods of time to enable them to move onto work,

education, further training or volunteering wherever possible. Personal development outcomes

played a huge part in the overall success of the EG programme, helping participants to improve

their confidence and motivation and giving them a desire to move on. These skills should never

be underestimated and are essential in preparing many participants for the next stage, whatever

that may be. Tir Coed would like to thank Engagement Gateway for supporting the Branching Out/

Egin project and for helping to make a real difference in the lives of so many individuals.

ESF funding requires an external audit before final payments can be released. Tir Coed’s audit

took place during September; preparations were made and files checked before the assessors

finally arrived. An in depth discussion about projects, contract organisation, management and re-

cord keeping was followed by the thorough scrutiny of participant, management & financial files.

The final report was very positive and highlighted no areas of concern.

Thanks go to Angie Martin, for her meticulous work preparing for Tir Coed’s first ever major audit.

Engagement Gateway

Convergence

Profiled Outputs

Actual Outputs

Profiled Outputs

Actual Outputs

Participants Engaged: 56 58 14 19 Participants gaining Positive Outcomes:

48 46 12 15

Participants gaining Accreditation:

48 31 12 14

Participants entering Further Learning:

14 11 2 3

Participants entering Volunteering:

18 6 4 5

Participants entering Mainstream Programmes:

12 4 3 4

Participants entering Supported Employment:

2 2 1 0

Participants entering Employment:

2 12 1 1

Regional Competitiveness & Employment

Volunteering In the Natural Environment (VINE) Pilot

Coed Tyllwyd, North Ceredigion, - August to December 2012

Taster sessions started at Coed Tyllwyd at the end of August and the group have been busy working 2 days a week on a variety of wood-land management tasks and crafts.

So far activities have included; bram-ble clearance with a traditional scythe, footpath creation using timber the group felled with axes & crosscut saws, gate construction using traditional hand tools and creating garden dibbers using a traditional pole lathe. The group are learning

to identify local flora and beginning to under-stand how ecology & biodiversity work at this woodland site. A relaxed, supportive atmosphere promotes a sense of wellbeing and positivity and this has helped to build individual confidence and has encouraged teamwork. The group has gelled and quickly and has learnt the importance of effective team work. This aspect has been very useful as Tir Coed’s new Social Enter-prise, WiseWoods Wales also started work at this site during September. The two groups of volunteers have occasionally joined forces to increase the productivity of an activity. Working side by side they have felled and extracted trees, split logs for firewood and stacked timber for drying. Everyone has a role to play and all have pulled together to achieve tasks successfully within a prescribed time limit.

Some individuals have already discovered the extra therapeutic benefits of being in a woodland environment, of doing physical activities and of working as part of a supportive team. A few of the group have chosen to work on accreditation whilst others are just benefitting from the overall experi-ence and skills.

Lead: Bob Shaw Support: Ffion Farnell Tasters: 4 Sessions: 16 No. volunteer days: 73 No. volunteer hours: 573 Total no. volunteers 8 No. current volunteers: 5

Monitoring and Evaluation

Positive feedback comments from project participants.

How do you feel this project has helped you?

Do you think you have achieved more than you expected to?

Monitoring Questionnaire

“Enjoyed the course very much -

didn’t want the course to end!”

“Helped me get back into a

routine and also learnt new

skills”

“It’s helped me in loads of

different ways with skills

and experience and with

meeting new people.”

“Confidence, experience,

motivation, socially, fresh

air, exercise, Knowledge”

“It gave me the skills, confidence and

relationships to work professionally as

a woodsman. I have been successfully

employed and self-employed for

18months”

“The course helped me im-

prove on motivation and

really helped me learn

new skills that I am now

using on a day2day basis”

“ I didn’t expect to achieve

anything - so Yes!”

“ I especially gained more

experience than expected”

“Yes, I didn’t think that

I would be gaining a

job!”

“Yes, by the end of the course I

had learnt some skills I

didn’t think I would e.g. the

right size hole for the trees we

were planting”

“I learnt how to be kind to the

environment whilst being able

to make a living off it”

“Yes, I’ve gained skills

with tools I’d never

heard of before!”

Accreditation

Branching Out / Egin participants who have recently had their volunteer hours recognised for

giving enough time to their projects to achieve 50, 100 and 200 hour Awards are as follows:

Jeno Davies - 100 hours

Ben Morgan - 200 hours

Sion Evans - 50 hours Tom Knight - 100 hours

More success for Tir Coed

Volunteers as they are

awarded their Agored

Cymru (OCN) certificates

and workbooks for Level 3

Sustainable Woodland

Management

Damian Ratcliffe

Millennium Volunteers Achievements

Agored Cymru (OCN) - Level 3 Awards

Bob Shaw congratulating Anna Thomas

Branching Out/ Egin News

The recruitment process for the first 2 Woodland Management Apprentices is un-

derway! One apprentice will be hosted by Tir Coed’s new Social Enterprise, Wise-

Woods Wales and one by Woodland Manger, Rob Smith. Tir Coed was inundated

with applications for these posts, and after a very difficult sift we have selected 7

potential candidates for an interview in early November. As well as a standard formal interview,

the selection process will include a practical exercise. We wish everyone the best of luck and in

response to the number of applications, will hone our efforts to find further funding for more ap-

prenticeship placements.

Tir Coed has been successful in the first round of the Big Lottery funding for ‘People & Places’. A

consultation process is underway to develop the project ideas further as well as deciding the most

suitable woodland sites which are closest to a variety of potential communities in Ceredigion,

Powys & Pembrokeshire.

The VINE programme is being piloted at present but the plan is to extend the age range so that

other vulnerable groups within the community can become involved; a direct response to the local

needs created by the current economic climate.

Several other funding applications have been made to support this project. An update will be

given in the next newsletter.

Tir Coed was recently invited to attend a Celebration event hosted by PAVO (Powys Association

of Voluntary Organisations) at the Willow Globe near Rhayader. The event celebrated both the

success and end of the ESF Engagement Gateway (EG) funded programme.

Ben Morgan, a Volunteer from Tir Coed’s Coed Tyllwyd project agreed to go along with Project

Mentor, Angie Martin to talk about and show off some of the work from the EG project. Ben did a

fantastic job demonstrating some of the skills he had learnt and explaining to many interested

guests the personal benefits of the project. Little did he know that he would also be presented

with his 200 hour Millennium Volunteer award on stage! Use this link to PAVO website for more. http://www.pavo.org.uk/home/latest-news/latest-news-article/article/a-pavo-event-with-a-difference.html

Well done, Ben & Thank you.

Apprenticeship Project

VINE Funding Update

EG Celebration

More Branching Out/ Egin News

Simon until April this year was the Tir Coed Chairman, having been a Director for a number of years. Sadly he passed away in October after a long illness and will be sorely missed by the Tir Coed Team

John Wildig, our Company Secretary writes:- Simon had a long and distinguished career in the public service, serving in a number of areas of England and Wales. A land agent by training, he started his career in the Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries and Food and finally became the Chief Conservator for the Forestry Authority for Wales from 1996; the First Director Forestry Commission Wales in the post devolution era. This brought him into contact with Tir Coed and when John Good re-tired as Chairman Simon was his natural successor. During the course of his Chairmanship he devoted considerable time and effort to Tir Coed, and we have much to thank him for.

He made great efforts to come to the monthly Team Meetings on a regular basis and on many occasions, Shep (my families Border Collie) and I used to take him to the meetings. I will forever remember those journeys with our wide ranging conversations over many of the issues of the day as well as on Tir Coed matters. The Team greatly appreciated his contribution to the meetings, never dominating them but, always helping and advising wherever he felt it necessary.

We, as a team, also came to know Simon as the committed family man and witnessed his great joy at the arrival of successive grandchildren.

Sadly the ill health which had started soon after his retirement came back last year and he finally passed away in October. His funeral at the Aberystwyth Crematorium saw all of the Tir Coed staff and a number of Directors joining the large congregation who had gathered to pay their respects.

Both myself and Roger Thomas, our new chairman, paid tribute to Simon at a recent Board of Directors meeting and we are planning to put a bench in his memory at a suitable location as a fitting tribute.

Simon will be sadly missed; may he now Rest in Peace

n

Simon Hewitt - An Appreciation

1947 - 2012

WiseWoods Wales (WWW)

Things have really taken off for WiseWoods Wales since the last report. A successful funding bid to the Ceredigion Social Enterprise Growth Fund will cover capital equipment and core costs.

WiseWoods Wales (WWW) now has sufficient funding to sustain the wages of core staff for at least one year, and a very significant help towards purchasing the essential equipment to allow the project to get fully underway. One of the most important outputs of the project is the number of paid posts it can sustain: Alongside Andy Bakewell the Business Manager, WWW now employs Anna Crane-Jones as Finance Officer and Rob Smith has recently been appointed as the Activities Leader to start 1st November. WWW will also benefit from two funded placements; Ben Morgan, a long term Tir Coed volunteer, starts a three month paid placement funded by the Shaw Trust, and an eight month paid apprenticeship, funded by the Princes Countryside Fund, will start in November after interviews have taken place.

Local craftsman Tony Eames ensured WWW got off to a flying start by sharing his expertise with volunteers as the supervisor on site. Fortunately, WWW has benefited from many Tir Coed volunteer graduates being very keen to continue working in the woods and so excellent volunteer numbers have been enjoyed from the very start. An enormous amount has been achieved with very few tools, and only a flimsy tarpaulin for shelter, thanks to the efforts of Tony Eames and the volunteers. Benches, firewood shelters, saw horses, timber and firewood have been sold totalling £1,000 so far.

The order book remains healthy with more benches and a potential future contract to supply the Council with benches along the length of the Ystwyth Trail.

Work behind scenes is also progressing well; most important equipment is now purchased & commissioned:

∗ A Norwood sawmill - arrived in 40 boxes & took 2 weeks of extra hours for volunteers and staff to build! The mill has since been used at Coed Tyllwyd to mill timber and to make products.

∗ A portable self-powered wood splitter - 5 staff have been trained in its use This splitter, capable of splitting logs up to 1 metre length, is central to the firewood production strategy

∗ One chainsaw, with accompanying PPE - A successful Environment Wales project grant application will pay for two more in the near future

∗ A tractor and winch - hired from a local benefactor, with the option to buy once hire payments reach the total value of equipment

The last piece of the jigsaw will be the timber trailer and crane, which should join the fleet in late November. Come & support WWW at Llanerchaeron Christmas Fair, Sat. 1st & Sun. 2nd December

Positive Progress

Business manager: Andy Bakewell Site Supervisor: Tony Eames Work Days: 23 No. volunteer days: 79 No. volunteer hours: 560 No. of volunteers: 10