Present:- Amy, Emma, Scott, Kermit, Steve, Kelly, Andrew, Nicola, Kasia and Stella

Apologies :- Fleen

Facilitator:- Emma

Minutes:- Amy

Purpose of the meeting was to introduce Nicola to the project and people involved and establish workshop circle.

Introductions and brief history of workshops in the Project.  Currently have 2 contracts from the Foresters’ Forest Landscape Partnership Scheme (FFLPS), Edible Forest Skills (EFS) and Heritage Craft Skills (HCS), these contracts fund 16 workshops in total per year, EFS include foraging, fermenting, edible landscape design, grafting, propagation, wine brewing, jam making, butchery and game preparation.  HCS include tanning, willow weaving, greenwood work, wilderness living skills, tool use and maintenance, bow making, blacksmithing, whitesmithing, leatherwork, spinning, natural dying and natural textiles.

Workshops are also run under the New Leaf Social Forestry Project, mainly focused on greenwood work and tool use and maintenance as this fits best with New Leaf activities.  These workshops self fund.

Under HCS craftspeople are paid £250, EFS £150 and New Leaf £150.  The group discussed this disparity and want to ensure pay for craftspeople is fair moving forward when FFLPS finishes in March 2022.  Currently workshops are offered on a sliding scale, this price has increased in readiness for FFLPS ending, pre-covid workshops were offered for £10-£30 for one day workshop and £30-£60 for two day workshop, offering workshops at these prices are not financially sustainable after the end of FFLPS so it was decided to raise the prices for the current workshop series in readiness for March 2022.  Current prices are £30-£60 for one day workshops and £60-£120 for two day workshops. Workshop places are often reduced and any remaining spaces are offered to crew and New Leaf participants. Kasia asked about the possibility of offering payments plans for workshop tickets making them more affordable, Nicola knew of some platforms that allow this

Amy explained the current challenges with Squarespace, how communication with participants is difficult and time consuming, suggesting that it may be a good idea to move back to Eventbrite. Nicola knows of work arounds to help with this on Squarespace, group discussed the advantages and disadvantages of being on Eventbrite and Scott suggested the group explore Brown Paper Tickets, a fair trade alternative to Eventbrite, the Brown paper website has got mixed reviews and is potentially difficult to use.  Group agreed it was worth exploring it as an option and to see if Nicola’s work around would work before changing the workshops system.

·       Action Point – Nicola to explore payment plan options

Group discussed the Workshop Co-ordinator job description, brain storming the position and formulating the job description attached.

Nicola asked about the cancellation policy, Amy and Scott explained that refunds are not offered unless the workshop is cancelled by the Project for whatever reason and credit on another workshop is offered instead.  Amy explained that there are a few people who currently have credit and offered to collate all the workshop information in a spreadsheet so everyone has access

·       Action Point – Amy Workshop spreadsheet

Group discussed email address for workshop enquires/problems/questions, it was decided to use a shared inbox, at least to begin with.

·       Action Point - Emma to set up workshops email address

Group discussed next workshops to be scheduled

-          Christmas Workshop Series – previously wreath making, copper Christmas decoration and Christmas willow weaving – there is space in December for these workshops to run

-          Coco – power tools for women workshop

-          Stella – spinning

-          Kermit – tool restoration

-          Dunc – Demi jon basket workshop

-          Scott – massage workshops

-          Andrew and Kelly – forest bathing

Group discussed potentially scheduling these for January/February as they could then marketed as Christmas presents – Andrew suggested the idea of having a gift voucher for workshops.

Group had a discussion about pay for workshop leaders/craftspeople versus assistants Emma making that point that as an organization we are working towards a fair system where hourly rates are the same and how this could be implemented with workshops, Amy brought up that workshop leaders often have spent years building up these skills but also recognizing that the people care element is equally important, group discussion followed about this, the concept of professionality and what this looked like and expectations of craftspeople as professionals with regard to insurance, risk assessments etc which are currently provided by the Project. Conversation about fairness of pay and whether craftspeople and assistants should be paid the same, Group recognized a distinct difference between workshops for the public and open access sessions delivered on weekdays at kensley sheds.  Part of the larger plans include salaried positions for craftspeople, it was discussed how it would be great that everyone has a salaried position but what this would mean for self-employed craftspeople would a part time position help or hinder their circumstances?

·       Action point – Amy to check insurance document for the group to gain a better understanding of exactly what is covered with regard to workshops

·       Amy to survey craftspeople about self-employed contractor versus salaried positions

The group recognized that this part of the discussion needed further discussion and research with other working circles.