LLANGATTOCK COMMUNITY WOODLANDS LTD

Managing local woodlands for people and communities

ANNUAL REPORT

April 2017 – March 2018

The mission of Llangattock Community Woodlands (LCW) is to:-

Manage woodlands local to Llangattock for biodiversity, sustainable wood fuel and community enhancement; through volunteer activities.

April 2017 to March 2018

In 2017 the Trustees took on new roles previously undertaken by Huw Lloyd who previously managed the woodlands and volunteers until March 2017. Ithas been a real pleasure for us all to see the way the group has embraced this new way of working and grown to become fully sustainability over the lasttwelve months. We welcomed two new Trustees this year Barry Sandilands and Helen Burns and their contribution has been outstanding already. We alsosaid goodbye to Andrew Fryer as a Trustee as he is starting a new business and with ever increasing demands on his time as Chair of Governors forCrickhowell High School and his Employment Tribunal work he just ran out of time.

We share and communicate our activities in a monthly newsletter distributed to over 500 members of Llangattock Green Valleys which is a strong andsupportive partner for LCW. Other important partners include Canal & River Trust, Crickhowell Volunteer Bureau, Blaen Bran Community Woodlands,Llangattock Allotments (LACAS), Bees for Development, Tidy Towns Wales, Llais y Geodwig, The Green Valleys and Llangattock Community Council who thisyear have become a Bee Friendly Community.

The business plan that took us through to the beginning of 2018 is now complete having some very challenging outputs. We have a budget for 2018/19 but decided that it is not necessary to commit to another 3 year business plan at this time. It will emerge again should we consider expanding our activities. Thanks to Andrew Peach our Treasurer we have managed to consolidate and improve our financial well being which caused concern at the end of 2016.

Potential new developments for 2018/19 include more active sharing of environmental advantages of well managed woodlands; more open day activities; strengthening local partnerships; still looking at a Bee Club to support our bees; watch the Community Orchard grow; build the compost toilet and lay special liner on the grass for disabled access; do more to attract people to the Alder Carr lottery to raise funds and involving the community in our aims and objectives too. The three lucky winners of the Alder Carr Lottery were Andrew Fryer, Rob Dunning and Helen Burns. They all donated the winnings back to LCW and we purchased 18 apple trees for our community orchard with the donation and the proceeds of the Alder Carr Lottery.

As always and never to be forgotten, we do want to give a big ‘thank you’ for all the help and support that Llangattock Community Woodlands has received again this year. We have welcomed new volunteers and sadly said goodbye to some old faithful ones. I know that we will continue to gain greater credibility as an organisation now and into the future. So well done to everyone who has helped and if you have enjoyed the year then we have succeeded.

Jackie Charlton (Chair)

Productivity Working with partners in Llangattock including Canal & River Trust, Llanagattock Community Council, Llangattock Green Vallesy and Llangattock Church in Wales Primary School. LCW aim to foster partnerships to help fulfil objectives.We continue to deliver approx.

60m³ of wood fuel to customers within a five mile radius of Llangattock and increasing our charcoal sales too. This supports volunteer expenses and equipment such as tools, gloves and other protective clothing. Other products and items are often added to help our financial sustainability including Christmas Cards and bee products.

The Community Orchard is now a reality. 18

native apple trees purchased locally and

include Talgarth, Monmouthshire Green and Gelli Aur just three

of the varieties.

The Bees are very important and come through a very harsh winter. No Honey last year but we did make bees wax products and now have a magnificent Bee Palace that has become the store and viewing platform for the bee activity.

We continue to develop our existing volunteer activities but we need more volunteers of different ages and groups. We have had new people joining this year and hope to focus on getting increasing numbers in 2018/19 by having a good induction process, inviting more groups to use the site and sharing our successes.

As always keeping our volunteers safe is crucial. We provide safety equipment and this year Canal & River Trust have donated safety boots and wet weather gear.

Volunteers continue to develop Green Woodcraft and we now make plant labels, flowers and stakes.

The Sausage Sizzle and tea are always popular. LCW provides lunch and refreshments to every volunteer who attends and we have regular cakes which we can eat!

Moth monitoring provides environmental interest and enables us to see how the woods and meadow support biodiversity including pollinators like moths and bees who feed off the and wild flowers.

Volunteers

Training

LCW aims to provide informal training for all our volunteers in activities which fulfil our charitable objectives. We provide equipment training as well as more informal gatherings around different environmental successes.

Charcoal making is an ancient technique historically important in woodland settings. LCW have two volunteers who now manage production and would like to encourage more. The charcoal is sold locally and highly valued as it is environmentally sustainable.

Bees are very happy in woodland settings and LCW are training volunteers in bee keeping. We have been given expert support for increasing the hives (see the queen in hive 2 here on the right) and how to make the most of the hive product such as wax and honey.

Greenwood crafts are increasingly popular and LCW continues to support volunteers who want to learn more about this traditional craft. Ash can provide great wood for this activity and two of our volunteers share their skills and knowledge with others.

Quotes from Volunteers“It’s a release from caring for elderly relatives. The woodland type work also keeps me in touch with when I worked out doors extensively.” Daffyd Cheung Volunteer

“I volunteer because I care about the environment. In a small way we help maintain woodlands for everyone.” Rob Dunning Volunteer Trustee

“Companionship, sweat, food and environment make it all worthwhile!” Mike Burns Volunteer

“I volunteer because I care about my community and the environment.” Helen Burns Volunteer Trustee

“You never know what you might be asked to make! Hedgehog huts have become very popular.” Jackie Charlton Volunteer

Chair

“There are plenty of small tasks which you can do and which help to manage the natural woodland.”

Chris Evans Volunteer

Financial Information

Wollenstein Log Splitter Purchased 2014

£4,800

Cost to replace

£5,000

Junior Logging Arch Purchased 2012 £650 Cost to replace £700

4 Chain Saws and equipment Purchased 2011 and

2014 £3000

Cost to replace £3500

Hand tools and other equipment Purchased over time

£2000

Cost to replace £2000

Trailers Purchased 2013

£1500 New second

hand trailer

purchased for £250

Sold and replaced

with smaller trailer

Cost to replace £500

Logging Forwarder Purchased 2012

£1800

Cost to replace £2000

Winch Purchased 2015

£1500

Cost to replace £1500

Mobile Chain Saw and Mill Purchased 2014

£2249

Cost to replace £2300

Honey Extractor Purchased 2015

£1800

Cost to replace £1800

Steel Container

Replaced with Pods from Canal & River Trust

Purchased 2014

£3,600 Sold 2017

Sold for £1300

proceeds to be used

for new Bee Shed and

observation unit

New Hives and equipment for Bees and 5 bee suits

including children's sizes.

£1200 Cost to replace £1200

ASSETS - CAPITAL EQUIPMENT REGISTERED COMPANY NUMBER: 8756399 (England and Wales)

REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER: 1154649

Report of the Trustees andUnaudited Financial Statements for the Year Ended

31st March 2017for

Llangattock Community Woodlands Ltd

Full copy of Accounts will be presented to members at the AGM and will be posted on our new LCW website.

The BIG Thank You People who have

Contributed to our success

The Trustees:-Jackie Charlton – ChairEric Gower – Company SecretaryAndrew Peach – TreasurerRob DunningHelen BurnsBarry SandilandsTony JonesJon Stedman

The GOLDEN VOLUNTEERS

Funders, Supporters and Partners including Llangattock Green Valleys CIC,

PEAK (Arts Alive) and Alzheimer's Society

The mission of Llangattock Community Woodlands is to:-Manage woodlands local to Llangattock, for biodiversity, sustainable wood fuel,

and community enhancement through volunteer activities.

Kevin & Jade from Canal & River Trust