Update your diaries - Woodland Pioneers 2010 has been set to run from Monday 13th September until Friday 17th September 2010. The courses and booking form have not yet been finalised so watch this space for more details.

Woodland Pioneers is held annually and is intended to target people who are interested in the apprenticeship scheme and woodland crafts. See photos from previous years.

Some possible courses are spoon carving, making gypsy roses and other small coppice-craft products, building and tending an earthburn (a traditional method of making charcoal), making a shave horse and lots more. There may even be a local celebrity situated in the woods making a currach!
21st Jan 2010

The scheme, validated by the Ascentis (formerly known as the Open College North West), is a three year Diploma course. BHMAT takes on two or three apprentices each year. The apprentices are based with a coppice business and receive specialist training in all aspects of the coppice industry. Each apprentice receives a small bursary of £3000 pa plus they can receive recompense for work within their placement. Assessment is based on practical skills and a percentage of written coursework. Successful apprentices are awarded the Bill Hogarth Coppice Diploma and are fully equipped at the end of three years to set up their own coppice business.

To be eligible to apply to either the BHMAT scheme (specific to the North of England) or the National Coppice Apprenticeship Scheme (NCAS) run through the Green Wood Centre (also based on the BHMAT model but now running nationally) applicants must have attended a Woodland Pioneers week course with either BHMAT (see above) or NCAS.

You can now download a copy of the November 2009 Newsletter (requires Adobe PDF Reader).

If you would like a high-quality, A4 printout of the Woodland Pioneers 2009 group photo then please send a cheque for £5 (made payable to "Bill Hogarth MBE Memorial Apprenticeship Trust") to BHMAT Group Photo, 93 Silverdale Rd, Yealand Redmayne, Carnforth, Lancashire LA5 9TD with details of where to send it to.

Last year's Woodland Pioneers week ran from Monday 14th September to Friday 18th and was a complete success. The 4 one-day courses were "Use of the Silver Birch Tree", "Musical Instruments", "Spoon Carving" and "Gate Hurdles". Returning pioneers took part in courses on advanced pole lathe turning, carving, making oak palins and hanging the gate made last year. See the photos for 2009!

The book Bill was writing when he died in 1999, edited by Alan Shepley and published by Wood Education Programme Trust, is available from BHMAT for £6.50 (post free in UK)

All profits will be shared equally between BHMAT and the Wood Education Programme Trust. Contact details are here.