FCA Magazine (FCAtoday) - Issue 65: Winter 2018
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 65: Winter 2018
Articles
Dean FTS Reunion Dinner
The Dean FTS students’ reunion dinner will be on 21st September 2019 at the Verderers’ Court at the Speech House.
FCA AGM 2019
The FCA AGM will be hosted by the Breckland Group on the 21st and 22nd May 2019.
Jamie’s Tool Collection
In their article, Jamie Awdry and Harry Pepper feature refurbished FC tools which were probably purchased using the official FC Tool List. The cover of one shown was issued in 1959. The tools pictured in the article include a pit saw, Sandvic raker-tooth cross cut saw, Jo-Bu lightweight chainsaw, Elwell axes, Canthook, slasher, Fagg hook, Reap hook, long handled staff hook, edge tool gauge, bark peeling tool, brashing chisel or pruning chisel, peeling tool, leather tape with a brass dumbbell made by Stanley of London and a timber scribe. Also picture is a silver bugle, possibly used as a fire alarm.
An Old Forester Remembers
George Stewart recalls his forestry career which began in 1949 when he was appointed FC District Officer in Dumfriesshire. A photograph shows George by the construction of the first forest road in Newcastleton Forest in August 1950.
Stacking Wood Art
Pictures of artistic wood stacks.
“All Aboard!”
Julian Evans has been a guest speaker on several cruise ships. His presentation speeches include his book “God’s Trees –Trees, Forests and Wood in the Bible”.
Retirement & TFSR
Martin Fletcher works for Tools for Self Reliance (TFSR), the charity which was started almost 40 years ago as an idea by Glyn Roberts from Gosport. Returning home after two years VSO spent in Africa in Tanzania, “Mum” he said, “if only they had better tools, they could do so much more to earn a living for themselves and their families”. Mum said, “Well there are your Dad’s tools in the garage and your friend Brian down the road, his father has died and he had many tools”. Brian and Glyn measured from a map the length of roads with domestic housing in Gosport, Fareham, Lee-on-Solent, Portsmouth and Southsea and working on two garages of tools per road, soon calculated they could fill a container to ship out to Tanzania. So began a national charity in the crypt of a Baptist chapel in Gosport with requesting and collecting tools, which were then sorted, cleaned, sharpened and refurbished by volunteers for artisans in Africa. Their strap line today is “Practical Help for Practical People”. It is now a charity covering the UK with tools and also sewing machines, coming in from over 30 TFSR groups from Aberdeen to Bristol. Almost 700 people volunteer their time to ensure the continuing success of Glyn’s original idea. These groups collect tools locally, do some sorting and refurbishing and, in a few cases, make up complete tool kits. Glyn’s idea and concept has spread to other countries, particularly in the Netherlands.
More on Model Railway Therapy
Don Amer has been filling his time since his wife died by building a model 00 Gauge railway.
Early Days in Alice Holt
Ted Baldwin recalls reporting to Fred Hummel after completing two years’ at Lynford Hall FTS in the early 1950s and his subsequent career in the FC.
100 Years of Forestry Commission in Scotland
Graham Hamilton considers the Forestry Commission celebrations and the history.
Letter to the Editor
Terry Metcalfe is a Railway Modeller and requires information on the narrow gauge railway between the Thetford Lodge site and Santon Downham for a project.
From the Editor
Richard Toleman suggests the Groups think of ways to celebrate the Forestry Commission centenary.
Obituaries
Dick Ayre reports that Chris Hodgson has died aged 84 years. Chris was born in 1934 and raised in Helmsley in the old North Riding of Yorkshire.