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How Your Membership Helps

As a Friend of Westonbirt Arboretum, your membership fee goes directly towards the running expenses of this 600-acre unique woodland site – one of the largest tree collections in the world.

Many major project works have been funded by membership fees, as well as by donations of both time and money.

Since the Friends were formed in 1985, we have raised more than £2,000,000 for the Arboretum, including a £330,000 appeal leading to the building of the Great Oak Hall.

In 2008 the Friends raised an impressive £196,000, of which £68,000 went towards tree-related projects, £90,500 went to child and adult educational work and £18,500 was spent enhancing visitor facilities.

One exciting and highly visible project undertaken in 2008 was the Silk Wood Craft Barn, a traditionally-constructed craft skill and educational centre which has featured on BBC’s Countryfile programme.

Table of expenditure in 2008

	Title	Heading	£
1	Student/work experience bursary	Tree Team	18,000
2	Tree maintenance work by contractors	Tree Team	21,000
3	Woodland contract tree work	Tree Team	20,000
4	Friends Volunteer Supervisor	Tree Team	9,000
	Total Trees		68,000

5	Education support programme	Education and interpretation	7,000
6	Library books		500
7	Education/Interpretation Officer		25,000
8	Family events programme		3,000
9	Quarterly newsletter and seasonal guide		15,000
10	Signage development and maintenance		20,000
11	Interpretation development		20,000
	Total Education and Interpretation		90,500

12	Visitor Services items	Visitor Services	9,000
13	Maintenance of Exploratree	Visitor Services	3,500
14	Santa experience	Events	6,000
	Total Visit Enhancement		18,500

15	Forestry Commission travel bursary	Miscellaneous	5,000
16	Silk Wood Craft Barn	Education	13,700

	Total funds committed in 2008		195,700