AFTER nearly a year of ownership, a community woodland group needs just one final push to pay off a loan that helped to buy the wood.
Weston Woods, loved by local residents of nearby Otley, Weston and beyond, came up for sale in early 2023.
A hugely successful crowdfunding campaign, alongside other fundraising activities, meant that the goal of buying it was almost within reach after only a month. But it was a philanthropic loan from Julia Davies, of We Have The Power, that got the purchase over the line.
Francesca Bridgewater, chair of Menston Area Nature Trust, the charity which legally owns the wood on behalf of the community, said: “We were thrilled and enormously grateful to everyone who helped us buy the woods for people and nature. Since then we have been fully focused on paying off the loan, and we are almost there. Once it’s paid off, we will be able to fundraise for other things, such as community consultation or help with woodland maintenance.”
With only £7,000 left to raise, Friends of Weston Woods (FOWW) are holding another online auction in November. Last year’s auction raised £3,000 and included a wonderful range of offerings, from Tea for Two at Betty’s to garden pond maintenance to crotchet lessons and lots of other items. This year’s auction runs from November 14 to 24. Anyone who would like to offer items for the auction should get in touch with FOWW by October 31.
Since buying the woods, the group have hit the ground running, carrying out plant and wildlife surveys and organising a number of events to welcome local people into the woods. A tremendously fruitful litter pick was held in February, a community get-together in May, and a family funday in the school holidays in August, as well as forest schools and a bioblitz event with students from Prince Henry's Grammar School.
Jessica Penrose, chair of FOWW’s Steering Group, said: “We want to encourage and enhance native species in the woods - birds, plants, trees, mammals and insects - alongside making the woods a welcoming space for local people to connect with nature.”
Other groups have helped out, with Get Out More CIC (based in Keighley) running forest schools, and the West Yorkshire Drystone Walling Association and corporate groups helping to rebuild the boundary walls.
For details of the online auction visit: https://mant.org.uk/auction/
The woods have even been celebrated as number six in Crowdfunder’s Top 100 campaigns. Visit: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/100
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