FCA Magazine (FCAtoday) - Issue 62: Winter 2017
FC staff Retirement Association magazine. The content summary below was very kindly compiled by Diane Birkett, Bedfordshire. See PDF attachment below the text to view the full document. A total of 77 issues were completed between 1997 and the final issue in 2023.
Issue 62: Winter 2017
Articles
Forestry Commission: Its Future in Scotland & England
Jean Lindsay, the Forestry Commission’s Director Central Services at Silvan House has briefed Charles Dickens on the latest developments on the future of the Commission in England and Scotland. Charles gives the details.
30th Anniversary Recollections of the 1987 Storm
On the 30th anniversary of the 1987 storm, Simon Malone recalls the work necessary in the aftermath.
Thoughts of Tree Aid - Thirty Years on
Brian Tipping looks back on the work of Tree Aid which started thirty years ago, when Tree Aid was registered as a charity. At that time, Brian attended an inaugural meeting with other enthusiasts in an office near Euston Station, London. There were about 12 people including trustees, foresters, woodland managers, timber trades people, academics and other well-wishers. Also present was a trio of ex-Forestry Commission senior staff living in Somerset and quietly persuaded out of retirement to set up and run the charity day-to-day. They were Leslie Troup, Jack Massey and Brian Tipping. We quickly made Leslie Honorary Director and called ourselves the Director's Team. At that time the founding Chairman of Trustees was Neville Fay, later succeeded by Simon Stephens. There was exactly £1,000 in the funds, donated by Quaker Peace and Service. Peter Filby, a retired bank manager, was recruited to keep the books. Time and events have moved on and Miranda Spitteler led Tree Aid’s fundraising for 15 years and became Chief Executive, then Director. Eventually, the old guard stepped back to make way for a new management regime. Brian says The 2016 Annual Report shows Tree Aid to be in the top flight of charities working in Africa. A photograph shows the Tree Aid Directors’ Team with wives c2005: - Gwen Tipping; Jack Massey; John Fletcher; Edna Massey and Brian Tipping.
Breckland Group FCA
Eric Rogers reports on a visit to a large sporting estate, well known for an enlightened wildlife policy, in Norfolk between the Brecks and the Fens.
Administration & Finance Officers c1973
Brian Tipping has submitted a photograph of the Administration & Finance Officers at a conference in c1973, possibly Forest of Dean. Included in the photograph are Len Bowman, Arthur Searle, Malcolm Shapcott, John Parker, Philip Nicholls, Bill Cormack, Douglas Pringle, Murray Hunter, Sid Cruden, John Taylor, Tom Macbeath, Brian Cann, Mike Henderson, Geoff Bowers, Joe Hogarth, Norman Stutter, Brian Tipping, Walter Williamson and Dennis Boyd.
Dean Forestry School Reunions
Following the death of Bart Venner, Jeremy Gissop and Martin Fletcher are creating a new database of former Dean FTS students and are intending to organise another reunion.
Arnold Grayson - A Further Appreciation
Mike Whitlock gives more details on the life of Arnold Grayson.
Letters to the Editor
Alan Low found a poem when sorting through some old papers. It was written fifty years ago by a head forester after a visit by his district officer to sort out plant demands for the forthcoming planting season. He believes the poem was written by Head Forester Hugh Mackay when in charge of Farigaig Forest in Northern Scotland. Enjoy reading it (if you love spruce!).
Martin Fletcher thanks readers for responding to his appeal for a copy of Forest Record 44 ‘A Creosoting Plant in Thetford Chase’ in the last edition of FCA Today. A photocopy of FR 44 is now at the Santon Downham office. Martin has some comments on Graham Belton’s photograph in the Summer 2017 edition of FCA Today. He also mentions finding fire horns in redundant sheds at the Thornhill Nursery in Savernake in 1979. Each had the inscription ‘H.M. Forestry Commission’ on the chromium plated surface. They were a Reid operated instrument producing an effective sound up to half a mile, to summon men quickly for firefighting, from a nursery or worksite. He presented his to the Bucks Horn Oak office in the mid-nineties.
Brian Tipping has some gruesome tales of his ancestors, which he wrote and published in a family history book, with the proceeds going to Tree Aid.
From the Editor
A comment from Richard Toleman.
Obituaries
Rob Guest said that on the 3rd August 2017, the Forest Crematorium in the Forest of Dean overflowed with people gathered to say farewell to Barten “Bart” Venner MBE.
Jim Dewer remembers Mike Lofthouse who died in August.