Winter has truly arrived, with more than a few glimpses of snow across the UK over the last month. I hope the cold spell hasn’t hit you too hard and you’re keeping well during this busy period. Woodsure has had a productive – and equally busy – few months; we took part in the first-ever Cleaner Safer Group conference, have had a busy start to the heating season, and seen a positive reversal to Scotland’s New Build Heat Standard.  The team at the office and lab have been working tirelessly, and Helen and I have been assisting with the operations during this exciting period of growth. 

As many of you will know, Woodsure took part in Cleaner Safer Group’s first annual conference earlier this month – ‘Innovating for a Sustainable Tomorrow’. Cleaner Safer Group is the newly launched parent company of Woodsure and HETAS, amalgamating the expertise and knowledge that both companies offer, and allowing us to expand into new sustainability-focused horizons. 

Helen and I got the chance to speak on Woodsure’s sustainability journey and what the future holds for the wood fuel sector. I know that recent years haven’t been without their challenges, but it was great to highlight some successes and explore how we can continue to improve. Cleaner Safer Group opens a lot of exciting doors for Woodsure, and I look forward to collaborating with many of you in the near future. 

The conference was a great way to introduce Cleaner Safer Group to our key stakeholders, and it was excellent to see such a varied, engaged audience. Getting the opportunity to speak to industry leaders, local authorities, and environmentally focused professionals led to some insightful conversations and a lot for us to think about. Our industry crosses a few key government departments, so having figures from different sectors and backgrounds really allows us all to increase our scope whilst we remain focused on working together for a cleaner, safer, and more sustainable future. 

If you managed to attend the conference, thank you for attending and I hope you found it valuable. If you were unable to attend, keep an eye on your inbox for updates in the near future. We want to make sure we make the next event as inclusive as possible, so we will be asking for your opinions soon on what you want to see, where you’d like it to be held, and when is the best time for it to take place.  

In wider industry news, there have been some more developments since the last Woodsure newsletter. The alarming news from this summer regarding Ips typographus sightings has led to the Forestry Commission creating tree-planting restrictions across parts of Lincolnshire, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Norfolk, Suffolk, Hampshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, Surrey, Greater London, Sussex, Kent, and Essex – known as the Demarcated Area. 

These restrictions encompass any trees from the Picea genus in an effort to restrict the volume of host trees for the pest to land on as they blow over from mainland Europe. Read our explanatory article to find out more and discover some useful resources. 

Following enforcement measures by the Forestry Commission, a landowner in Northumberland has pleaded guilty to failing to replant trees following felling. It’s encouraging to see successful enforcement measures against those failing to replant, despite numerous warnings over the years. This recent success serves as a reminder to the small portion of individuals attempting to circumvent requirements, and Woodsure supports the Forestry Commission’s investigative work. Helen and I have also been engaging with a number of local authorities lately, helping to build knowledge and ensure wood fuel suppliers across the UK remain compliant. Find out more about the recent enforcement action in our article.  

Fuel Poverty Awareness Day 2024 took place on 27 November – a cause that is important to Woodsure and the wider wood fuel industry. In addition to supporting the campaign, we delved deeper into the role that solid fuel can play for households in fuel poverty in a recent article. Fuel poverty is a complex problem that has no panacea, but it’s important to think about the role that quality wood fuel can play in alleviating the pressures many households across the UK face. Visit National Energy Action’s website to find out more and support their efforts. 

With the festive period fast approaching, I just want to issue some reminders regarding our opening hours and upcoming closure dates for the Lab.  

The Lab have set a deadline of Wednesday 18 December for all samples that need testing. The team will aim to complete the testing of any samples received before this deadline before they close for the festive period. Any samples received after 5:00pm on 18 December may not be processed until the lab reopens at 8:30am, 2 January 2025. The office and lab will be closed for the festive period from 12:00pm on 24 December. Both will then reopen at 8:30am on 2 January. 

Make sure you keep these closure dates in mind should you need us. I would like to wish you a very merry festive period and thank you for your continued support.