Many of you will have heard of or have been actively supporting our Bowland Tourism Environment Fund over the years. Although the purpose of the fund will remain the same some changes have taken place recently. BTEF was formed as a company in June 2009 and will be registered as Charity just as soon as we have evidence of income more than £5000 p.a. The objectives of BTEF are to:

(a) promote, enhance, improve, protect and conserve the physical and natural environment and its natural beauty for the public benefit within the Forest of Bowland, 'Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty' (AONB) and its environs and

(b) advance the education of the public in the physical and natural environment and in particular the conservation, protection and improvement of the physical and natural environment.

An inaugural General Meeting was held on 29 October 2009. For further information about BTEF click here

Trustees are Ann Shaw (Hornby Village Institute and Parkfoot Holiday Homes) Jonty Collinson (Scorton Post Office and Shop and Wyresdale Wheels for All) and Colin Clifford (Off the Rails and Settle Chamber of Trade). BTEF has taken over the collection of cash from pin badge boxes formerly carried out by Ribble Valley Borough Council. The domain names www.bowlandtefund.org and www.bowlandtefund.org.uk have been registered. And a new website is under construction. We will keep you informed as the website develops.

BTEF has already secured an Innovation Voucher grant of £3000 from the North West Development Agency to carry out a feasibility study for a trade waste collection service in the AONB area. The University of Central Lancashire (UCLAN), Centre for Waste Management has been commissioned to carry out the work, and in conjunction with this LCC and UCLAN have submitted an application for £22,500 funding for a pilot project with BREW.