Woodland Businesses Receive Further Support
The National Forest Woodland Business Support programme (WEBS) has secured funding up to April 2008 following a highly successful first 18 months. The programme provides business support, grant funding for new developments and help with training and wood fuel studies.
A range of partners aims to help new and growing woodland businesses based in either Leicestershire or Derbyshire within the National Forest. This year the grant fund amounts to around £80k with additional support for woodland skills and wood fuel related training.
Typically, business are in wood fuel related activities, including logs, kindling, and wood chip, or engaged in further processing timber harvested from the woods. This includes making and selling green oak structures, furniture and flooring, coppicing products such as stakes, hurdles and willow. There is no limit to the type of business supported provided it is directly connected with woodland in The National Forest. The programme is intended to develop the woodland economy to contribute to the sustainability of the forest itself.
To date the project has helped create five new businesses, assisted seventy five, supported fifteen grant applications, as well as contributed to training in woodland skills for more than sixty applicants. It will be a major contributor to The National Forest Wood Fair due to be held on August 27th, at Beacon Hill Country Park. In addition support is available for free wood fuel feasibility studies to help stimulate the market for wood fuel.
Liz Thomas, business adviser Woodland Business Support programme (WEBS), said, “The programme is not just about grant funding because we aim to provide on going support in whatever form is needed. This can be a matter of introducing suppliers and customers, to hands on help for businesses preparing detailed plans to support new developments. Many of the businesses on the programme have already made significant steps towards developing new product and finding new markets.”
The project is a partnership, administered by Leicestershire County Council, between emda, LSEP, Derby and Derbyshire Economic Partnership, The Forestry Commission and The National Forest Company.
Kishor Tailor, Chief Executive of LSEP, added, “This programme has proved to be very successful but the full potential of The National Forest Economy will only be realised if we are able to help encourage innovative business ideas.”
For further information please contact Liz Thomas at Moira Replan; lizthomas@btconnect.com 01283 215076
