New Exhibitors at The National Forest Wood Fair

Wood cutting at The National Forest Wood Fair Vinegar-soaked oak will add a distinctive new flavour to the National Forest Wood Fair on August Bank Holiday Monday.

Chair maker Gordon Monk uses the blackened wood produced by this innovative technique to create stunning pieces of furniture and he will be bringing a range of his work to display at the Wood Fair, just one of the many new exhibitors who will be at this year's event.

Now in its fourth year, the Wood Fair attracted 3,000 visitors in 2007. With the tree-mendous array of demonstrators and activities lined up for this, the last holiday of the season, it will be the summer's top day out for all the family.

Other new exhibitors include a timber frame and conservation company and wood sculptor Andrew Frost, whose intricate carvings have to be seen to be believed.

'We are delighted that the range of demonstrators and exhibitors at the Wood Fair is expanding all the time," said Penny Wilkinson, Tourism & Promotions Officer for the National Forest Company. "We have always had a wonderful selection of fascinating stalls and entertaining exhibitors, including crowd pullers like the Wild Man of Woods and his story telling, or the gorgeous timber-hauling heavy horses, but it is an indication of the success and the high regard in which the Wood Fair is held that more exhibitors want to take part.

"There is plenty of space at Beacon Hill Country Park, and we are always pleased to welcome those who help us convey the message that wood is a beautiful and functional material, and this kind of wood will be coming out of The National Forest. Whether the woodlands are grown for timber or not, managing them effectively creates a diversity of habitats where birds, bugs and other wildlife can thrive – and we can all enjoy."

There will be plenty of hands-on activities and fun for both children and adults, and a tempting range of locally sourced food and drink to taste on the day.

The Wood Fair is organised by the National Forest Company and Leicestershire County Council. It will run from 10am - 5pm on Bank Holiday Monday 25 August. Admission charges include car parking and a programme and will cost adults £6, concessions £4 and a family ticket £14 (for two adults and two children).

Beacon Hill Country Park lies within the ancient Forest of Charnwood and is close to the attractive village of Woodhouse Eaves, just five minutes drive from Junctions 22 or 23 of the M1. The Country Park, owned and managed by Leicestershire County Council, with its craggy summit and panoramic views, is just one of the many visitor attractions across the three counties that make up The National Forest.

For more information visit www.leics.gov.uk/woodfair.

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Media contacts

For further information contact Carol Rowntree Jones, Media Relations Officer, or Penny Wilkinson, Tourism & Promotions Officer, at the National Forest Company on 01283 551211.

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NOTES TO EDITORS

The National Forest area covers 200 square miles of the counties of Leicestershire, Derbyshire and Staffordshire. Its objective is to increase woodland cover within its boundaries from an initial six per cent to about a third. No multi-purpose forest on this scale has been created in the UK for one thousand years. To date the proportion of woodland cover for the Forest has already more than doubled to 17.5 per cent and 7 million trees have been planted.
Year by year, The National Forest has been steadily turning what was once one of the least wooded areas of England into a multi-purpose, sustainable forest. The National Forest provides environmental and economic benefits, including landscape enhancement, creation of new wildlife habitats and major new access and leisure opportunities. It is an excellent example of sustainable development – with environmental improvement providing a stimulus to economic regeneration.
To achieve its objectives, the National Forest Company works in partnership with landowners, local authorities and private business and has strong support from Government, politicians and the public. The Company, which celebrated its tenth anniversary in 2005, receives grant in aid from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.