6th May 2009.

       The past year has not been easy for anyone trying to make a living on Exmoor.  The economic situation which was on the horizon last year is now surrounding us and impacts on everyday life for all.  Farmers and land-managers are having to change and adapt to new agri-environment schemes with the ever present threat of financial penalties for non-compliance.  Forms are detailed and involved and there is a sense that unless they are completed by a professional body, there will be rejection on some scale.  The Upland Farmers have struggled to put their case for special agreements and at last, the government has accepted that theirs is a special case.

A small upside is that people are staying in this country for their holidays instead of going abroad - especially for half-term breaks and long weekends, and I know that  tourism on Exmoor is benefiting from this.  Many establishments reported ‘full houses’ over the Easter weekend, which is encouraging.

The Exmoor Trust continues to play an active role on several committees and groups, including the Parish and Consultative Forum, the West Somerset Economic Development Strategy, the Exmoor Moorland Initiative Board and the Exmoor Moorland Landscape Partnership - to which we have committed a £10,000-00 grant - mainly towards education and those who look after our moorlands.

Our varied range of support is ever-widening and we do look very carefully at every application for funding, under our three main categories of education, environmental conservation and community.  We try to support those who are unable to obtain funding from anywhere else and who show real commitment for and belief in their causes.  Applications supported this year have included Cutcombe Pre-school - for a computer and some software;  Wheddon Cross Carnival Club - for a replacement generator; sponsorship for the Exmoor Hedging competition; and funding of our Spring Energy for Exmoor Symposium at Ralegh’s Cross, which I know many of you attended.

       Progressing from our E4Exmoor Symposium in May 2008, Archie McIntyre attended a Study Tour for Renewable / Sustainable Energy, in the North Yorkshire Moors National Park, the Lake District and the Peak District, in April 2009.  This tour looked at micro-hydro installations, community woodland projects, air-source and ground source heat pumps, wind turbines, solar panel and tubes, woodchip boilers, biomass installations and wall cavity insulation.  Added to this - funding, cost-effectiveness, publicity, and group forming for support and exchange of information and ideas were also discussed.  There is a full report available if anyone would like one.

We do have a few membership vacancies - the annual subscription is only £50-00 - and this is a small way to contribute to various local causes on and around Exmoor.

Very many thanks for your support in the past and my good wishes to you for a warm and successful summer.    

Susan J. May.   Chairman of Exmoor Trust.