LAG Funding 2025-26
LAG ( Local Alliance Group ) funding
Our project to inspire a love of learning, provide fun and affordable ( free ) activities for all ages, promote well-being. Throughout the twelve months these are some of the activities we have run.
Willow Weaving. The basics of learning the art of weaving. We have progressed to use different materials such as bramble and Willow bark, as these can be foraged from the site where we are based. Several community events have been held, including creating flower head garlands and seasonal wreaths from foraged materials.
Charcoal making. From attending this session we have on two occasions made small amounts of Charcoal for art work. During our Country Fair event ( not funded by LAG ) we were able to demonstrate to the community and other local volunteer groups, how to harvest material, preparing the timber and process to create charcoal. The Charcoal was then used by children to create art work.
Hazel Hurdles. Two of our volunteers attended the course to learn to split Hazel and make a hurdle. These skills have been passed on during green woodworking sessions open to all. We will continue teaching this craft during the winter months.
Shrink pot. Learning to hollow out a block of timber to make a pot, learning to use different tools. This was a good exercise learning the use of different tools, but not practical for a community group activity.
Rustic furniture. Using rustic Hazel poles we can source from the woodland. Learning to make joints to create a stool. This was a theory session not practical. The volunteers attending this session have been putting these skills into practice. Using timber from storm damage trees, the first project is on going making a stool and later in the year holding more workshop sessions to make other objects
Shaves horse. One volunteer was due to go on a course to make a shaves horse. Unfortunately due to a severe arm injury they were unable to attend. The tutor, donated the shaves horse he made along with the other students, with instructions on how to make another. The shaves horse is being used as introduction sessions to green woodworking for volunteers as well as local people.
Foraging. We have hosted two providers looking at foraging for food and secondly foraging hedgerows for material for head garlands, wreaths and weaving.
Art in Nature. Using nature materials to produce art work. We have run two art door art sessions for adults. ( We also ran indoor art sessions at the Bridport Arts Centre funded by Bridport Town Council on the same theme. )
One had been postponed to July, which was scheduled for 25th June ( heat wave. )
Wreath making. This was postponed during the winter months and held in June as a summer wreath making session. It was dry, if not cold, hence why everyone is wearing coats. It was well attended by local people. A few of our volunteers also attended.
Nature Led walks. Local entomologist and wildlife expert, provided guided walks looking at the connection between insects and plants. These habitat walks included meadow, woodland and hedgerows.
Special community group events. Although our main focus was providing adult activities as part of our Nature Explorers sessions we also welcomed the Local Beaver group aged 6 to 8 years. We often find young children are very good educators and adults are more responsive to learning from young children.
We also looking forward to welcoming a Community Group “ Bridport Friends together.” Educationally impaired Adults. The first session welcoming them to a new environment and a few easy crafts using natural materials. They meet fortnightly and sadly this has been postponed twice as it fell during the heat wave in May and again in June. Now rescheduled for July 7th.
The foraging for food was attended mostly by age group of 40+. A local herbalist will repeat these sessions on a regular basis, including the preparation of making and drinking foraged herbal teas.
The most popular activity was making head garlands by all female age groups. It was repeated at the Country Fair ( not LAG funded, ) and Nature Explorers activities in June and will be repeated in July and August.
Volunteer led sessions included, Swift surveys, bat surveys and hunting for glow worms. We also led habitat walks. These small group walks were planned throughout the year. We experienced that although numbers were low, people who attended had a genuine interest in that subject.
We had to cancel nearly every event during the winter months due to the constant rain and that the site is on clay soil, which gave very slippery conditions underfoot. The events were postponed until we hoped for better weather conditions restarting in May. The first three events were planned during the heat wave and had to be yet again postponed. The events have been rescheduled over the coming months.
Equipment. We have left buying equipment to last as we wanted to know what worked, what people were interested in doing and what we were capable of repeating. The main tools to be purchased are green woodworking tools and for willow weaving, tool storage boxes.
Video link: https://youtu.be/oEUPmgpj_fM
Please see a small selection of photos below.
