EST.
2000
BOLSOVER WOODLANDS
ENTERPRISE
ABOUT US
We are a social enterprise that manages and protects woodlands in Derbyshire. All our team members are adults who have a learning disability.
Our team members are at the heart of what we do. We give them exciting opportunities to develop new skills and the confidence to make a real difference in their communities.
Everything we do is about protecting our woodlands. We want to make them sustainable for communities to enjoy now and in the future.
A board of volunteers run our enterprise. These volunteers include team members, staff, parents and carers and local councillors.
HISTORY
Derbyshire County Council established Bolsover Woodlands Enterprise in 2000. The aim was to set up a social enterprise that gives adults with learning disabilities the skills to manage woodlands and green spaces.
At first, we managed public woodland sites owned by Derbyshire County Council. Since then we've gone from strength to strength and now manage and protect green spaces for landowners across Derbyshire. We work with many organisations including the National Trust, parish councils and wildlife trusts.
We're based at Bolsover Business Park in Derbyshire. We have 30 team members who all have a learning disability and five members of staff who support them. We own a range of equipment including a portable sawmill and a heavy-duty chipping machine.
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OUR VISION
We aim to offer people with learning disabilities exciting opportunities to develop new skills and to be part of a thriving professional enterprise, which makes a positive contribution to the management and conservation of woodlands and countryside.
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OUR OBJECTIVES
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To create a unique enterprise that provides a stimulating working and training experience for people with learning disabilities.
To provide land management services and to manufacture and sell products arising from this service.
To create opportunities to reward team members for meaningful activity.
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TESTIMONIAL
“Staff and team members are all friendly and helpful. They make my family member feel like part of a team and he has more self respect and pride in having work to do”
OUR SUPPORTERS
In 2007 we became a limited company but we aren’t a business that aims to make profit in the traditional sense. The money we generate from our work, and selling furniture and logs, is recycled back into the enterprise to support our team members and manage woodland sites.
Most of our funding comes from Derbyshire County Council and we are grateful for its continued support for maintaining our enterprise.
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We are also supported by many other local and national bodies, to whom we are also grateful to.