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Forres Friends of Woods and Fields offering £15/hour for six months to work on Sanquhar conservation project


By Garry McCartney

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Jim Knox, Julie Adam, Nick Molnar, Howard Stollar and Nick Kinnegan protecting trees in the Kennel field.
Jim Knox, Julie Adam, Nick Molnar, Howard Stollar and Nick Kinnegan protecting trees in the Kennel field.

A LOCAL environmental charity is looking to hire a part-time worker to undertake community consultation and action plan.

Forres Friends of Woods and Fields (FFWF), stewards of 26 acres on the ridge to the South of Sanquhar Loch and adjacent fields at the Mosset Burn, are using a £9250 Awards for All grant from the National Lottery Community Fund Scotland to employ someone to see how the community can help shape and develop the charity, its nature-conservation work, as well as its community garden and orchard.

Chairman Nick Molnar said: “We’re looking for a skilled and motivated development worker with local knowledge to lead on the consultation over the next few months, with the launch of a draft action plan at an event on the land in the summer.”

The plan will include habitat management, food growing ideas, community partnerships, recreation and education.

The post is on a part-time basis until the end of July on a contract of 16 hours per week on average (including some evening and weekend work), at £15/hour for six months. The contract will run between February and the end of July.

Apply by January 28. Further details can be seen at forresfriends.com or email forresfriends@gmail.com

Ultimately, FFWF aims to restore and regenerate the woods above Sanquhar and create a nature-based education centre and recreational area for the community.

A Forres Friends of Woods and Fields planning session.
A Forres Friends of Woods and Fields planning session.

The charity’s trustees and a volunteer group aid with tree planting, habitat management, and growing, amongst other activities.

The top of the field near Chapleton Farm has been ploughed and FFWF are looking for planning permission to erect a polytunnel there. Regular volunteer parties are also starting up again with tree planting.

Woodland project manager and health and safety officer, Mick Drury, explained that FFWF’s volunteers have been active for around 18 months, looking after part of the woodland above Sanquhar Loch and the fields towards Chapleton Farm.

He said: “We are very excited and honoured to announce the #awards4all grant. With these funds, we will expand through community engagement.”

The community can support the charity via placing the blue tokens available at Tesco’s checkout or by making donations on the website.



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