REW10
July 29, 2023
What a week!
It was fantastic to see so many veterans at our 10th anniversary Alumni Weekend and with the help of Bicton’s brilliant Events Team, we turned ourselves around on Sunday afternoon in time to welcome veterans referred from The Poppy Factory, The Matthew Project, Stoll, Forces Employment Charity, and RBLI to our 3rd Rural Experience Week generously funded by Armed Forces Covenant Fund under their Veterans, People, and Pathways Programme.
The weather on Monday morning set the tone for the week – warm, with sunshine and showers and Chris and Pete took the veterans to RSPB for a day of Environmental Conservation activities with Toby Taylor and his team, including building Dormouse nests for a national survey. A great day which helped everyone get to know each other.
For Day 2 we stayed in the Park at Bicton where Matt and Kirsty from Hi-Line and Lee Kimber from LBS Training and Assessing ran sessions about Arboriculture and rope and harness access for tree climbing, and chainsaw maintenance and use, so the veterans, now split into 2 groups, could alternate between the sessions to give everyone plenty of opportunity to get involved. Big congratulations to everyone for getting to the top of the tree.
Bicton Home Farm hosted a visit to the dairy cows on Tuesday evening, which was a gentle way to end an eventful day.
Wednesday was another busy day split between Forest School with The Outdoors Group and Blacksmithing with Ian and Dan from Parmenter Forge where some of the comments afterwards included Brilliant. Rewarding. Satisfying and Therapeutic and of the Forest School, one veteran commented “That’s where I want to live.”
Rob Batson hosted the veterans at Budleigh Salterton in the evening to meet the horses which everyone enjoyed (and the Devon cream tea…!).
The best First Aid course I’ve ever been on was the collective view of Thursday’s Emergency First Aid + F course delivered by Matt and Kirsty from Hi-Line Everyone felt they had earned their certificate which included the Forestry Commission additions of Catastrophic bleeds; crush injuries; extremes of hot and cold including hypothermia, fractures, and spinal injury.
The week finished on Friday morning with a wrap up and next steps, and it was time to head home to Lincolnshire, London, Liverpool, Kent and other parts of the country.
With grateful thanks to the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust whose funding made the week possible and to all our hosts and presenters whose passion, commitment, and hospitality helped the veterans to feel welcome and valued. Truly, #outdoorsisbetter.
Last word:
My confidence has been restored. The experiences I have had this week have been amazing.
See the week in pictures here.
SHARE THIS POST 