CFT provides a number of services to England’s Community Forests. These include:

1) Recruitment and employment services

In conjunction with its HR supplier, HR Solutions, CFT offers recruitment and employment services to the ECFs.

With increasing talent shortages in the sector, CFT works with the ECFs to look at the overall employee value proposition to retain, attract and develop the talent needed to 2025 and beyond.

In addition, CFT works with the ECFs to look at the medium term talent and succession issues including knowledge management, contingency planning, succession planning and graduate programmes.

2) Land holdings and acquisitions

Either through CFT directly or through the CFT Land Trust, CFT can be involved in the acquisition and holding of any land that supports the ECFs and their delivery programmes.

CFT will also provide support as required to any acquisition processes. The requests will come from the ECFs and this support may come from the Core Team, Trustees or other expert advice procured through CFT. It is possible that this support may be consolidated into one entity.

3) Fundraising

CFT has traditionally been a channel for raising funds from streams that Local Authorities have not been able to access or where a central entity is needed. It has also exploited its charitable status to apply for funding streams only accessible to charities.

CFT continues to do this and to administer any funds received.

4) Support Delivery Programmes

CFT is the accountable body for a number of delivery programmes.

In addition CFT provides services to support the Trees for Climate Programme.

5) New Community Forests

Under the Trees for Climate+ funding, there is the provision for two new Community Forests. CFT supported the overall process of bringing forward any candidate Forests and working with the candidate Forests to input into and guide their bids as appropriate.

6) Post 2025 positioning and funding

As requested and required, CFT is supporting the ECF Chair and the ECF Directors to influence, negotiate and secure public sector funding and positioning for the ECFs post 2025. It is expected that this funding will be a blend of public and private finance so the work will be both to work with Defra and to develop compelling propositions and funding models for the private sector.

7) Support subsidiary and partner bodies bodies

CFT supports the 3 subsidiary bodies that sit within CFT.

These bodies include:

  • Community Forest Land Trust (CFLT) – established to purchase Colliers Moss and capable of holding additional land, subject to satisfactory arrangements for management and funding;

  • The Mersey Forest Foundation (MFF) – established to provide additional small scale fundraising capacity and develop new ideas. It has secured a significant role in administering s106 funding in St Helens with scope to expand this into other sites; and

  • Cumbria Community Forest - established in 2021 as one of three new Community Forests.

CFT supports the relationships with any new partner organisations that it establishes over the duration of this plan. There will be regular updates from the subsidiary organisations to the CFT Trustees to 2025 so they have full understanding of their operations.

9) Additional support/central services

As a neutral, central entity, there are a number of additional areas and services that CFT provides to support and champion the Forests. These include strategy, procurement, training, lobbying, marketing and communications, finance, and HR.

Read more about our current national initiatives as well as past projects below.

 

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