Woodlands and You Guidance Events

Woodlands and You Guidance Events READ THE GUIDANCE NOTES TO HELP YOU COMPLETE THIS FORM You can get this publication in large print and other forms (e.g. Braille, audio tape) or arrange for a member of Natural Resources Wales staff to contact you: Tel: 0300 065 3000 Email: enquiries@naturalresourceswales.gov.uk Page 1 of 10

Before filling in the Woodlands and You: Events Form, please talk to your Local Area Office. Contact details This Guidance Note will help you complete the Application Form for events taking place in woodland managed by Natural Resources Wales where a Permit is required. If you are an individual or are planning a long term project, you will need a different application form, please contact us. Please send all supporting documents with your fully completed application. When we have these it will take us 12 weeks to carry out an assessment. We cannot start considering your application until we have everything and will stop if we need to come back to you with queries. All Natural Resources Wales managed woodlands are working forests and are used by many different groups and individuals. We need to make sure that any activity is going to be safe and will not affect any others using the woodland. Your event must not start until you are in receipt of a signed Permit Document. Until you have received this you cannot assume that your application will be approved. If you publicise your event before you have a signed Permit, this will be at your own risk. If you need to undertake publicity well before your event is due to start or take place, you must submit your proposal well in advance to account for the 12 week assessment period. Before filling in the Application Form, 1. PLEASE TALK TO A MEMBER OF NATURAL RESOURCES WALES STAFF IN YOUR LOCAL AREA OFFICE. Contact details are on the Natural Resources Wales website 2. READ THESE GUIDANCE NOTES! Page 2 of 10

All questions must be answered please state not applicable if that is the case. Do not leave any questions blank it will delay assessment of your application if we need to come back to you to ask for further information, so easier all round! Before you start the process, please make sure that the woodlands and routes you are planning to use are suitable for your event. Question 1 Have you applied for a Permit for this event before? E.g. Is it held annually/bi-annually Question 2 Tell us who you are - an individual, a business, community group or a club? This information helps us understand who best within Natural Resources Wales can help you through your application. Question 3 Please give us as much information as possible it s important that your contact details are accurate. Should your proposal be successful, the person named here will be the lead contact on the Permit issued to you or your organisation by Natural Resources Wales. Please enter the registered name of your organisation here if applicable. Question 4 for organisations, groups enterprises Question 4a - please tick the relevant box and give us the Registered Charity or Company numbers. If you are unsure, check the Governing Document of your organisation or talk to your local County Voluntary Council (see the Supporting Organisations document on the Woodlands and You webpage for details). Definitions: Sole Trader Owned and controlled by one person who is responsible for all actions and who receives all income from the business they run. Most sole traders state that they are "trading as.. Governing Document None Private Company Limited by Shares An incorporated company registered with Companies House whose shareholders have limited liability. That means that the liability of the shareholders to creditors of the company is limited to the capital originally invested, i.e. the nominal value of the shares. Shares may not be offered to the general public, unlike those of a public limited company. Governing Document Memorandum and Articles of Association Page 3 of 10

Public Limited Company An incorporated, limited liability company which has offered shares to the general public. A Public Limited Company's stock can be acquired by anyone and holders are only limited to potentially lose the amount paid for the shares. Governing Document Memorandum and Articles of Association. Registered Charity Most charities with an annual income over 5,000 have to register with the Charity Commission. Although charities with an income of 5,000 or less (and some others) don't have to register, they have to abide by charity law. Almost all are regulated by the Commission. Governing Document Constitution, Trust Deed, Articles of Association (if also a Company). Charitable Incorporated A CIO is an incorporated form of charity which is not Organisation a company, only has to register with the Charity Commission and not Companies House, is only created once it is registered by the Commission, can enter into contracts in its own right and its trustees will normally have limited or no liability for the debts of the CIO. Company Limited by Guarantee Industrial and Provident Society Community Interest Company (CIC) Public Body This is a new structure which provides some of the benefits of being a company but without some of the burdens. Governing Document Constitution An incorporated company without share capital its members are normally only liable to the extent which they have undertaken to guarantee them - usually a nominal amount, e.g. 5. Governing Document Memorandum and Articles of Association Limited liability companies set up for community benefit registered (since 1.12.01) by the Mutual Societies Registration section of the Financial Services Authority in England, Wales and Scotland. Governing Document Rules CICs are a type of limited company operating for the benefit of the community rather than the benefit of the company owners. A CIC cannot run for the personal gain of a one person, or group of people. CICs can be limited by shares, or by guarantee, and have a statutory Asset Lock to prevent the assets and profits being distributed, except as permitted by legislation. Governing Document Memorandum and Articles of Association Local Authority, School, Community or Town Council Page 4 of 10

Club, Institute or Association Guides, Scouts, W.I, football clubs... These may be a Registered Charities or Companies Limited by Guarantee, or have a Constitution or Rules that set out aims, structure and management. Question 4b Describe the main activities and purpose of your organisation so that we can better understand why you are making the Application. Background information will help us assess your request. Question 4c If your organisation is part of a larger one please tell us the name of the parent organisation. Question 5 We need to know dates and timings you have planned for your event to avoid clashes with other events or forestry work which may be taking place in the same location. We cannot agree an event without these specific dates, including dates and times for setting up and taking down. All FCW managed woodlands are working forests and are used by many different groups and individuals. Please let us know what setting up/taking down will involve so we can understand how this may affect other forest users e.g. putting out signage or erecting marquees. Question 6 Do you have a name for your event? For example, what will you call it in any publicity material? Some people name it after the wood their using e.g. Gogerddan Orienteer Tell us exactly what you want to do. What will your event involve? How will you be using the woodland? Be as specific as you can. For example, if you are planning to hold a Forest School tell us whether you ll be having a fire, cutting vegetation or building dens. PLEASE NOTE & CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING WHEN PLANNING YOUR EVENT You are not permitted to hold races of any kind over Public Rights of Way (PROW) without applying for closure of the PROW with the relevant Local Authority. This will be your responsibility. You will also need to advise the relevant Local Authority s Safety Advisory Group (SAG) of your event. You should check with the Local Authority on their time frame for this notification. You ll need to seek permission from other landowners or managers if relevant. Think about the impact your activity may have on the local landscape and wildlife: - numbers of participants and spectators what affect might they have? - Public Rights of Way and Bridleways these should not be obstructed in any way. Other people may be using the woodland at the same time. Page 5 of 10

It is your responsibility to notify other forest users that your event is taking place you need to give at least 14 days notice. Other users may include tenants, holders of other Permits (e.g. horse riders) or Management Agreements. Your local area office will give you details if required. Question 7 a. Tell us how many people you think will be taking part in your event your best guess will be fine. FCW needs this information for health and safety reasons and to help us assess how you will manage your event and its impact on others using the woodland. Some woodland is environmentally sensitive which could limit numbers. It s also good to know how many people are using and enjoying the woodlands we manage! b. Tell us how many volunteers will be helping you to run your event, include those involved in planning and preparation, as well as those involved on the day. c. Will people have to pay to take part in your event? d. Tell us how much each person (or e.g. carriage) will pay. This information will help us know how use of woodland is contributing to supporting local groups, economies and enterprises. e. Please tell us where the admission or entry fee money will go will you as the organiser keep it or will you be donating it to others? f. If you are going to donate part or all of the admission or entry fee money, tell us who you ll be giving it to and what percentage each recipient will get. Question 8 Barrier keys are usually only issued to enable vehicle access. If you are requesting a barrier key but do not intend to take a vehicle into the woodland, please tell us why a key is needed. For example they may need to be opened to allow access for Husky Rigs. Question 9 If you want to take a vehicle into the woodland - other than in public car parks or on public roads - you need to tell us. Normally a maximum of two vehicles is allowed per event and we need to know the registration numbers, makes and models as these will be included in your agreement with us. We do not normally allow ATVs or quads into the woodland if this is absolutely crucial to your event you will need to discuss this further with your local Area Office. Question 10 If this is the first time you ve submitted a Woodlands and You proposal, please tell us if you have organised and run events of this type previously either in Natural Resources Wales managed woodland or elsewhere. Please provide a contact name and address, we may want to contact this person for a reference if you give us permission to do so. Page 6 of 10

Question 11 Tell us where you want your event to take place include the name of the woodland if you know it, a grid reference would help even more. If you are not sure, describe the location, giving the nearest town or village and as much specific information about the woodland or activity route as you can. Please mark routes, access points, marshal points, any facility locations etc. clearly on the map you submit with this proposal. These should be as accurate as possible please don t use thick marker pens. The map should be at the correct scale to show the whole of your proposal clearly. An example of a well marked up map at an appropriate scale is attached here at Appendix 1. Do ask us for help with this if you are unsure. The forest district will be able to provide you with a map of the correct scale if required. Question 12 This question lists the range of facilities and services often provided at events - please tick all those that will be part of your event. Some facilities may require licenses from other organisations - for example you will need a license to play music, or you may need a license for temporary camping pitches, amongst other things. You can check with your Local Authority. Please make sure the locations of your supporting facilities are clearly marked on your map. If your supporting facilities will not be in our woodland, please don t tick the box. Question 13 This is a checklist of supporting documents you must provide with your application if applicable. Please tick each relevant box and include all documents when you submit your application. A location map (either 1:25000 or 1:50000 scale) again, see Appendix 1 for an example. Advice on running events safely is available from the Health and Safety Executive. Umbrella activity support bodies, such as the British Horse Society, the British Driving Society, British Orienteering for example, may be able to offer specific advice. A copy of your current Public Liability Insurance Certificate. We will need a minimum of 5 million cover. Emergency Plan again, the Health and Safety guidance on managing events safely explains how to develop one of these. Page 7 of 10

Temporary Event License: If you are intending to carry out a licensable activity at your event, you must have a Temporary Event License from your local council. Licensable activity includes: Selling or supplying alcohol providing entertainment (e.g. music, dancing) serving hot food or drink between 11pm and 5am You must submit a copy of your Temporary Event License to us before your activity takes place. In some instances we will require a barrier key deposit cheque of 75 if you require access to the woodland through a barrier gate. This will be refunded on return of the barrier key at the end of your event. Best Practice We don t ask for details of how you ll manage these issues but would strongly encourage you to consider the following in the development and management of your event: Equality and Diversity How will you ensure that people of all backgrounds and abilities know about and have the opportunity to take part in your event? How will you ensure that your publicity material reaches as many people as possible? Welsh Language Will your event publicity material and any signage be in both English and Welsh? It s recommended that you develop and adopt a Welsh Language policy if you don t already have one. Useful sources of information and support include: As Good as Our Words: Good practice guidelines for developing the use of Welsh language in the voluntary sector (WCVA and the Welsh Language Board, August 2006) Estyn Llaw - the Estyn Llaw scheme was established in 2000 to offer support and guidance to voluntary and community groups to increase their use of Welsh, and to encourage volunteering amongst Welsh speakers. Natural Resources Wales Welsh Language Scheme Finally Make sure you print your name, date and sign the application form, making sure that all the information you have provided is correct and up to date. Feedback We ask here on the Form NOT to tick the box if you d be willing to be contacted in the future to tell us what you think of our service and to help us to improve Woodlands and You. We really rely on feedback and regularly revise our Forms and processes as a result of the comments we receive. We d very much appreciate your views. Page 8 of 10

Data Protection The information provided by you will be processed by Natural Resources Wales in line with the Data Protection Principles and our Privacy Notice to enable us to process your application. NRW will not publish personal information from your application, but your application in full will be shared internally with our staff in order for us to process it. Your e-mail address and telephone number(s) may be supplied to an external third party (e.g. other event organisers or forest contractors) so that they can contact you if there is a conflict between your and other activities on the land we manage. Freedom of Information Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, anybody may request information from a public authority. The Act confers two statutory rights: to be told whether or not the public authority holds that information; and if so, to have that information communicated to you. The Data Protection Act 1998, which covers both the public and the private sector throughout the United Kingdom, gives you the right to find out what information, including personnel information, is held about you on computer and in some paper records. This is known as the right of subject access. You also have a right to have inaccurate data corrected, blocked, erased or destroyed, and to seek compensation through the courts for damage and distress caused by such inaccuracy. Natural Resources Wales would normally only pass on personal information to prevent or detect crime. See our Open Information webpage for further details Page 9 of 10

Appendix 1 Map Example Page 10 of 10