GREYFIELD WOOD Community Interest Company

To mark Her Majesty The Queen's Platinum  Jubilee our Volunteers have been asked to build a bridge across a stream in Lower Withy Copse. When?      Friday 3rd June, all day. Where?  300 metres down the footpath past the Substation. (Signposted on the day). What?      An opportunity for a family day out- don't forget your  picnic. Find out more?   Please revisit this blog, we will update it as we have more information.  The Directors  are currently designing the bridge and planning for this  commemorative project.   The wooden bridge will be built from our home grown sweet chestnut.  It will be used as a footbridge and lightweight tractor crossing  of the stream above.  We will be setting aside an area for visitors to enjoy the day and see the construction of the bridge and hope to provide a refreshment tent.   Beenham Village Events are  promoting this as part of the Jubi...

Storm Eunice brought down many trees, some of which fell on houses causing much damage. One Greyfield resident had built his new home in the trunk of a tree. Unfortunately the storm blew the tree over. The wild cherry tree was found leaning over a well used path in the wood. It was necessary to fell it completely in order to make it safe. The section of tree trunk with the woodpecker’s hole has been preserved, it can be seen at the main entrance corner to the wood, just across from the electricity sub station. No doubt the woodpecker is busy again, making another home for this years brood of chicks. You may well be able to hear him at work  when you walk in the wood.

Greyfield Wood CIC have now reached a major milestone in acquiring the lease of Greyfield Wood from Beenham Investment Group.  We have now raised the £12,000 needed to fund the transfer and have now closed our funding appeal webpage via The Good Exchange.  Our enterprise has been supported by Greenham Trust who match funded the first £5000 of donations. We also received a donation from Englefield Charitable Trust and a grant from Beenham Parish Council. Two local businesses have supported us with over £2000 of donations and we have received £2650 from local residents. We very much appreciate the very generous support  shown to our project by local charities, businesses and individuals. The directors of both companies are now busy preparing for the transfer and hope to be able to complete by early summer. Meanwhile, if you would like to become a member of Greyfield Wood Community Interest  Company  help us safeguard our woods for the future, please download...

  For several years Beenham Investment Group (BIG) directors have been considering if the long term  management of Greyfield Wood would be better served by a different type of organisation, given our clear commitment to managing the woods as a community asset. On 23rd September 2020 Greyfield Wood Community Interest Company (the CIC) was incorporated at Companies House. We then set about forming a board of directors (three of which are also directors of BIG) to get the CIC up and running. Meanwhile the directors of BIG asked its shareholders for agreement to allow the transfer of the lease to the CIC, once the CIC was able to settle BIG's outstanding liabilities. BIG shareholders voted overwhelmingly in  favour of the transfer of the lease in January 2021 and BIG have brought back over 60% of the original shares issued 25 years ago at the original price of £1 per share. We knew there would be a shortfall in available cash and therefore launched a fund-...