Sylva Foundation Annual Review 2014-15
Our Annual Review, covering the period April 2014 to March 2015 is now available to read online.
Chair of Trustees, Dr Peter Savill, introduced the report:
This year has been busy and fruitful for the Sylva Foundation. Highlights have included starting development work at the Sylva Wood Centre, celebrating 350 years of British forestry, and the appointment of our first Education Manager.
Following the donation of land and farm buildings in the last financial year, good progress was made in developing and implementing a vision for the new estate. A large number of volunteers from across the wood-using sector generously gave their time and energies to help develop our thinking. Income from commercial tenancies will help support our proposed activities in fostering new wood-based businesses and education. Conversion of the old potato store started on September 1st and it will open on April 1st 2015.
This year saw the culmination of four years of work celebrating the 350th anniversary of John Evelyn’s Sylva; a seminal work on forestry first published in 1664, and the inspiration behind our organisation’s name. The New Sylva book was published by Bloomsbury in April. Written by our Chief Executive, with 200 drawings created by our artist-in-residence Sarah Simblet, the book received enthusiastic reviews and has helped earn funds towards our charitable work. Linked to the book, public exhibitions were held at venues across Britain.
We welcomed several new people to the Sylva team. To our trustee board we appointed Luke Hughes (furniture designer and lecturer), Mrs Samantha Leigh (property lawyer) and Michael Wills (specialist in personnel recruitment and NGO management). Thanks to a generous grant from the Patsy Wood Trust we appointed Jen Hurst as our first Education Manager.
We hope you enjoy reading more about our work during the past year together with our plans for the future.
To download the report or to read an page-turning version click here.
