Your first issue of Your Forest of Dean

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Hello <<First Name>>,

It is a pleasure to introduce the first issue of Your Forest of Dean. A monthly newsletter, sharing important information you want to hear about the services you use and updates on what's happening in the Forest of Dean.

As you know our District is a special place to live and these newsletters will help keep us better connected as we make progress on our key priorities. These include tackling the climate emergency, improving community wellbeing, providing affordable homes and continuing to deliver our great services.

We would also love to hear your feedback on this first issue, so please click on the button below to let us know your thoughts.

Fill in your feedback here

Forest of Dean District News

What Forest do you want?

Do you want the Forest of Dean to become a Biosphere Reserve? We are asking everyone in the district to take part in a survey this month to find out if people are in favour of our area being designated a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO.

Biosphere Reserve status has the potential to drive initiatives that reduce activities negatively impacting the environment, promote community-led projects such as sustainable coppicing and develop workshops for local schools while increasing the protection of our ancient monuments and Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs).

Take part in the survey

Have your say on the Cinderford Northern Quarter

The committee is to look at community views on Cinderford Northern Quarter. The Council welcomes the thoughts of the community and organisations on the development of the project.

Enter your ideas

Grant helps with restoration of historic Tibberton almshouses

Tibberton’s Almshouses celebrated their 153rd birthday this year, and a grant for community-led housing projects from the Council has provided 14 new windows and three new doors for these historic buildings.

The new additions and handing over of the keys to the new resident to one of the newly renovated homes, were celebrated with a garden party in September.

Berry Hill awarded Neighbourhood of the Year

Berry Hill beats the competition to be awarded Nextdoor's Neighbourhood of the Year Award for 2021. After receiving almost 5000 nominations the village took the prize.

Learn more

Resident wins £2000 with the Forest Lottery

Another resident is celebrating after a £2000 win with the Forest Lottery. In the past 12 months, over £14,000 has been won and almost £40,000 has been raised for the local community.

A recent winner was Scott Baine, a Community Organiser for The Rewild Project. He has chosen to donate the full £2000 prize to his chosen cause to assist with the expansion of the project.

How to make your home more environmentally friendly

One way that we’re making a difference to reduce carbon emissions is by helping developers, self-builders and residents make their new build and home improvement projects more sustainable with the launch of our Net Zero Carbon Toolkit.

Developed with two of our neighbouring local authorities, this online resource is packed full of the latest guidance on how to achieve low carbon, low energy homes. You can download the toolkit now to find out how you can save both the planet and your wallet through making your home use less energy.

Download the toolkit here

Forest residents donate sports kit for BBC community campaign

A massive thank you to anyone who donated sports kit and equipment to Lydney and Cinderford leisure centres in September for the BBC’s Kit Out the Nation campaign. The kit will now be distributed to schools in the area and given to children and young people, most in need of it.

Learn more

Energy from the sun will soon help power our offices

Work to install solar panels on the roof of the Council’s offices in Coleford is progressing well.

Once up and running the new photovoltaic (PV) panels should bring savings in the region of 10k in electricity costs and reduce our carbon footprint by around 20 tonnes every year – the equivalent of taking four cars off the road.

Service Updates

Don't lose your voice!

Local residents are being reminded not to lose their voice on decisions that affect them by making sure their electoral registration details are up to date.

Residents have been sent a letter or email with clear instructions asking them to confirm their details or update them. Please read the information and respond to make sure your details are correct.

Learn more

Missed bin? Report it online.

If our collection crews miss a collection, we're sorry if it ever happens to you. Our teams work really hard making over 182,000 collections weekly with a 99% success rate but sometimes issues can occur resulting in missed collections.

You can report the missed collection to us online in just a few clicks and our teams will do their best to come back out as soon as possible to collect them.

Report your missed bin here

Covid-19 Updates

Still need the Covid Vaccine?

Those 16 and over are now eligible for their Covid-19 vaccine. The Forest of Dean is running a GP led programme, please wait to be contacted and don't delay in booking your vaccine!

Walk-in clinics are available across Gloucestershire, see them here. You can also search for them on the NHS website here.

Flu and Covid Booster Jabs

This autumn/winter flu vaccination and COVID-19 boosters will be critical to protecting lives, livelihoods and the NHS.

Some people may be eligible for both the flu and the COVID-19 booster vaccines. If you are offered both vaccines, it's safe to have them at the same time. Find out if you’re eligible now.

Read the latest Government guidance

Did you know?

You can get your bulky waste collected

If you have a large item to dispose of which you are unable to take to the local Household Recycling Centre you can book a bulky waste collection and our team will come and collect it for you.

Visit our website to find out more about what we can and can't collect and how to book your collection now.

Book your bulky waste collection

We've helped local businesses throughout the pandemic

We supported many businesses through the Covid pandemic, with our Local Business Grants scheme.

Between April 2020 to September 2021 we have made a total of £38,348,199 Local Business Grant payments.

Learn more about Business Grants

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