Agenda item

Jon Stewart informed Members on some new initiatives  that the National Trust are involved with.

·         From the 29^th April they would be taking on direct responsibility for Upper Booth Campsite for  at least a year.

·         In about 2 months time the National Trust will be opening a “Changing Places” place at Ilam Hall, which will be the first one within the National Park, and linked to that they will be constructing more accessible paths over the summer months, for eg  linking into the church and down to the river to make it more easier to navigate.

·         They have also been  looking  at “sensory appreciation” and how  the places are seen through the eyes of people who have particular needs.  Recently took out a group of blind/partially sighted people around Ilam and received positive feedback from what they got out of their visit, as well as a LGBT over 50’s group, and again received positive feedback from them.

·         Another group called “Chicks”, which is a group of young people aged 8-12, who have caring responsibilities for their parents or for other people, and have never been to Ilam before and had a great time, and gave some very good feedback.

Jon reported that these initiatives could have a wider applicability, but what the Trust would be using them for would be to re-imagine their places and how they are presented and how they appeal to people.