Category: NCFed

The National Coppice Federation is keen to recruit a new voluntary ‘Thatching Spar Officer’ to promote the use of local thatching spars which obviously would benefit the domestic coppice industry. 

The National Society of Master Thatchers is also likewise keen to promote the use of domestic spars and have reported that some of the imports from Europe are currently commanding a price of £300/thousand! It is therefore crucial that NCFed has someone on board to champion the cause of UK produced thatching spars/liggers for the domestic market.

A full Role Description is attached and, if you’re interested in representing UK spar makers & gad producers, please email [email protected]

Job description below

Closing date: Tuesday 14th November 2023, midnight

NCFed are currently seeking a Company Secretary to work closely with the NCFed Directors, to have oversight on the core functions of NCFed. There will be a focus on maintaining good record keeping and due diligence with regards to legal responsibilities.

The position is paid on a self-employed, part-time basis.

Expressions of interest should be sent to: [email protected]

Click here for the full job description: https://ncfed.org.uk/the-ncfed/vacancies/

NCFed Charcoal Officer, Jim Bettle, was responsible for a great piece in Reader’s Digest magazine recently. This will be of interest to any charcoal producer and potential buyer of charcoal – https://www.readersdigest.co.uk/lifestyle/environment/why-you-should-buy-sustainable-charcoal

There are still tickets remaining for the NCFed gathering and pre-gathering courses. Once in a blue moon it happens up north, & this year is that year!

More info & bookings at: https://ncfed.org.uk/members/agm2023/

***** NCFed is also looking to recruit new Directors & a new Secretary.

(Role descriptions & application form below)

The Director role (there is more than one place available) is undertaken on a voluntary basis, but is crucial in guiding the direction of the organisation and making decisions on behalf of you – NCFed’s members. NCFed is really starting to make some waves in the woodland management/forestry sphere and, as it grows, so to does the need for new Directors to step forward and take a role in shaping the future of the coppicing industry. Applicants will need to be nominated by their affiliated group (nomination form is below). If you are interested, please complete the below form and return it to [email protected]before 6th October 2023.

The NCFed Secretary does not need to become a Director and the position is paid. If you, or anyone you know, are interested in applying, please express your interest to [email protected]before 6th October 2023.

Download the Spring/Summer edition at News – National Coppice Federation (ncfed.org.uk) or you can go straight to it here. It’s a great read – full of coppice and woodland related information, views, reviews and news. Written by members for members.

The Heritage Crafts Association is preparing to publish its latest assessment of threatened crafts under its Redist here – http://heritagecrafts.org.uk/redlist/. NCFed has been asked to contribute. If you have not already been consulted and think you might fill in any gaps in numbers, individuals or states of crafts, here’s a link to an online survey – https://forms.office.com/e/kAgjDq59PW.

Since the last version, published in April 2021, new crafts have been added to the lists and of course many will have been buffeted by the tides of Brexit and Covid. HCA are particularly keen to have our help in an accurate assessment of Wattle Hurdles and Spars.

This survey is the first of its kind in this place and invites structured attention to some of the wide range of skills and trades derived from stick farming that we discuss here. If you have comments about this work or you or any of your members would like to help NCFed keep an eye on any trade(s) in particular, please email [email protected]. All contributions welcome.