Terms and conditions for Forest School

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The Forest Approach Terms and Conditions (T&C’s) apply to

all workshops and birthday parties.

 

The Forest Approach T&C’s provide clear guidelines on what you can expect from us and what we in return expect from you.

 

Payment for Workshops

Payment in full at the time of booking by BACS transfer is required to secure your/the child’s place.

 

Payment for a Pizza Party

For parties of 10 children a deposit payment of £50 is required at the time of booking to secure the party date. The remaining balance of £150 is required to be paid by BACS transfer one calendar month prior to the party date.

 

Parties for more than 10 children require a larger deposit. The Forest Leader will inform you of the amount payable at your initial enquiry.

 

The remaining balance is required to be paid by BACS transfer one calendar month prior to the party date. The Forest Leader will inform you of the amount payable at your initial enquiry.

 

In the event that the BACS transfer balance payment is not made one calendar month before the party date the party date will be lost/the party cancelled. If there is any reason that the balance will not be paid on the payment due date please contact the Forest Leader immediately to discuss the situation.

 

Insurance

The Forest Approach holds full Public Liability Insurance. Please be aware that activities take place over rough natural ground and although we take every precaution to ensure safe play, accidents may occur. The staff are all First Aid Trained, DBS checked, and we risk assess our site and put boundaries in place to ensure a safe experience for the children. Be prepared that your child will sometimes come home muddy and wet, but they will have had a great day!

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Cancellation by The Forest Approach

The Forest Approach workshops and parties take place in all weathers, except those considered to pose an adverse risk. For example, high winds or thunderstorms. In such an event the workshop/s will be rearranged or a place on an alternative workshop will be offered. If you are unable to attend the alternative workshop you will forfeit the money paid.

 

If the Forest Leader has to cancel due to illness or unforeseen circumstances, then the workshop will be rearranged or a place on an alternative workshop will be offered. If you are unable to attend the alternative workshop offered you will forfeit the money paid.

 

In the unlikely event that an alternative workshop cannot be offered you will receive a full refund.

 

In the unlikely event a party is cancelled due to adverse weather conditions or due to the Forest Leader’s illness or unforeseen circumstances the party will be rearranged on alternative date as close to the original party date as possible. In the unlikely event that an alternative party cannot be offered you will receive a full refund.

 

Cancellation by Parent/Carer

 

Cancellation for Workshops

No refunds will be made for non-attendance or cancelled attendance at any workshop regardless of the reason.

 

No refunds will be made for non-attendance or cancelled attendance at any workshop that is part of a block booking regardless of the reason.

 

Refunds may be considered in exceptional circumstances and is at the discretion of the Forest Leader.

 

Cancellation of Forest Pizza Parties

For parties of 10 children the £50 deposit paid by BACS transfer is lost/not refunded.

 

The balance of £150 paid by BACS transfer one calendar month calendar month prior to the party date will be lost/not refunded if the party is cancelled within the one month period prior to the party date.

 

Parties for more than 10 children that required a larger deposit paid by BACS transfer the full deposit is lost/not refunded.

 

For parties for more than 10 children the balance paid by BACS transfer one calendar month prior to the party date will be lost/not refunded if the party is cancelled within the one month period prior to the party date.

 

No refund can be given for any child who informs the parent/carer of non-attendance prior to the party date or any child who does not attend on the day of the party.

 

Medical, Activities and Photography consent Forms

All forms must be completed, signed and returned by email or post at least 48 hours before the commencement of The Forest Approach workshop/s or party for which you have booked. We require any changes to the information submitted on the medical/consent forms to be shared with us to ensure the comfort and safety of all attendees. Please also apply insect repellent and sun cream lotion to your child before the workshop starts. Our staff are not authorised to apply lotions so please ensure it is applied previously. We do not provide kits, so please ensure you have all you need in time. Thank you.

 

Inhalers/EpiPen’s/insulin dependents

If you, your child or a child attending a party organised by you requires any of the above, then the medication must be brought to the workshop/s or party for use in case of an emergency by the parent/career of the child, a First Aider or Medical Emergency personnel. PLEASE NOTE: If a child arrives for a workshop or party without their emergency medication then the Forest Leader reserves the right to refuse entry to the workshop or party. This is for the protection of both the child and staff/volunteers.

 

If a child is refused entry to the workshop or party due to not having their correct emergency medication no money will be refunded for the lost workshop or party.

 

Sickness

Please do not bring your child to attend forest school if he/she has been sick or has had diarrhoea within the previous 48 hours. We do wish your child a speedy recovery. If your child has either of the symptoms whilst at forest school, we will call you so you can collect your child.

 

Food

We normally don’t provide food unless it’s a cooking/birthday workshop. Always bring a drink in a named water bottle for you or your child.  For party group go The Forest Approach Lodge –If you have cake and party bags please provide at this time.

 

Toilets

We do have a toilet and hand washing facilities at the hut - rustic style! We do expect your child to be able to attend the toilet without adult supervision. We have no changing facilities in the woodlands, so please refrain from booking if your child is not quite ready to manage independently. Thank you.  

 

No Mobile Phone Zone

Five minutes peace …..The Forest Approach workshops are a NO mobile phone zone for all attendees. This is your turn to switch off !

The Forest Leader will carry a mobile phone at all times for emergency situations and to take photographs/short videos.

 

Knowing what kit; the right kit for Forest Approach Workshop

“There’s no such thing as bad weather, just poor kit”.

 

Suitable clothing, for the environment and the weather are really important.

The following checklist has been prepared to help you, your child and party children to be prepared for workshop or party experience.

 

Suitable clothing

•Long sleeved T-Shirt or shirt

•Fleecy top or jumper

•Long trousers

•Socks that stay up inside wellington boots

•Wellington boots or waterproof shoes/boots

•Waterproof coat

•Hat

•Gloves

 

Unsuitable clothing

•Short sleeved T-shirts; bare arms can get stung by nettles

•Shorts; bare kegs can be scratched and stung

•Leggings; too thin to provide proper protection from brambles/nettles

•Sandals

•Crocs or similar type footwear are not allowed

 

Safeguarding

We have policies and procedures related to safeguarding for both the attendees to a workshop or party and the staff/volunteers. Policies and procedures are on our website, can be emailed to you or paper copies can be provided on request for you to read. Paper copies of all policies and procedures are always on site in the Forest Office for you to view on request.

 

If you have any questions relating to safeguarding in relation to a child or vulnerable adult, then please contact the Forest Leader. We provide confidentiality in relation to all information shared with The Forest Approach by service-users, except in circumstances where disclosure makes it a legal obligation to share information with appropriate professionals.

 

Protecting your privacy

Any personal information stored on paper relating to adults or children attending workshops or parties will be destroyed after they have finished their attendance at a workshop or party.

 

Emails provided for booking purposes will not be automatically added to our mailing list, you will need to subscribe to our list to receive regular news and updates.

 

We respect the privacy of the individuals who attend our workshops and parties; however, we do take photographs and sometimes short video clips during the forest workshops and parties. We like to use the photographs and video clips on our website, social media and promotional material; therefore, we always ask those who attend for their permission to use them. We respect the individual’s right to refuse the use of photographs or videos of them to not be used.

 

Feedback and Concerns

We encourage all attendees and parents/carers to give us feedback about their experience at any of our Forest workshops or parties. We actively encourage a two-way conversation about anything that caused/is causing concern. Feedback can be given verbally in person, by telephone or in writing via email.

 

We aim to be as open, honest and as straightforward as possible with parents/carers in order to maintain a constructive two way flow of communication.

 

In the event of any safety concerns please make the Forest Leader aware immediately. If the concern can wait until the end of the workshop or party please raise your concern to the Forest Leader to enable your concern to be discussed/be addressed.

Website Terms & Conditions

 

 

Using this website, you agree to be bound by our terms and conditions 

From time to time we may need to carry out essential maintenance on our website, or in relation to our hosting environment which may as a result restrict the ability to use services within the website environment, such as sending forms for booking events.

Please  let us know if you encounter difficulties with using this website by email theforestapproach@hotmail.com. Please be assured we will endeavour to provide you with the services you require as soon as it is possible to do so.

If we are informed of any inaccuracies in the material on the website, we will attempt to correct this as soon as it is reasonably possible to do so. We reserve the right to update our terms and conditions now and again and we will advise website users of changes via website notification, prior to effecting changes, However, the responsibility for checking changes to our terms and conditions rests with you. If you do not feel happy to accept the new terms and conditions you should not continue to use this website. Furthermore, if you continue to use this website after the date on which the change comes into effect, your use of the website indicates your agreement to be bound by the new terms and conditions for use of this website

This website may only be used for lawful purposes and in a lawful manner. In continuing to use this website you agree to comply with all applicable laws, statutes and regulations regarding this website and its use. Furthermore, in using this website you agree not to upload or transmit through the website anything designed to interfere with, interrupt or disrupt normal operating procedures of any computer or mobile device; or to insert into the website any material which is defamatory, offensive or of an obscene nature.

In using this website you agree to fully indemnify all those associated with the running of The Forest Approach harmless immediately on demand, from and against all claims, losses, costs and expenses, including reasonable legal fees, arising out of any breach of these terms by you, or any other liabilities arising out of your use of this website or any other person accessing the website using your personal information.

For the benefit of our website visitors this website sometimes includes links to other websites or materials published online,  the management of which is beyond our control. In following those links to 3rd party websites/online content you must accept that we cannot be held responsible for such websites or material linked to, nor do we review or endorse the specific or wider content arrived at via any link provided on this website. We will not be liable, whether directly or indirectly, for the privacy practices or content of such websites nor for any damage, loss or offence caused or alleged to be caused in connection with, the use of or reliance on any such advertising, content, products, materials or services available on such external websites or resources.

The content of this website belongs to us and while you may display the content of the website on a computer or mobile device, or download content to store for personal use, that content should not be shared more widely without reference to original source. You may not otherwise reproduce, modify, copy or distribute or use for commercial purposes any of the materials or content on the website.

Whilst we will try to ensure that material included on the website is correct,  we cannot accept responsibility if this is not the case. We will not be responsible for any errors or omissions or for the results obtained from the use of such information or for any technical problems you may experience with the website.

This website is provided without any representation or endorsement made and we make no warranties, whether express or implied, in relation to it and its use. You acknowledge that we cannot guarantee and cannot be responsible for the security or privacy of the website and any information provided to by you. You must bear the risk associated with the use of the Internet.

In particular, we disclaim all liabilities in connection with the following: incompatibility of the website with any of your equipment, software or telecommunications links, technical problems including errors or interruptions of the website.

To the full extent allowed by applicable law, you agree that we will not be liable to you or any third party for any consequential or incidental damages (both of which terms includes, without limitation, pure economic loss, loss of profits, loss of business, loss of anticipated savings, wasted expenditure, loss of privacy and loss of data) or any other indirect, special or punitive damages whatsoever that arise out of or are related to this website.

You can read how we handle your personal data in our Privacy Policy.

This Website is operated on behalf of The Forest Approach, Unit 5, Hartford Bridge, Hartley Wintney, Hook, Hampshire RG27 8A , or call us on 07825 538447

Make this yours. Add images, text and links, or connect data from your collection.

Confidentiality policy 

 

Confidentiality in relation to session attendees

We aim to respect the privacy of individuals and to keep information they have provided to us, in respect of personal details, confidential.

We strive to operate as follows:

Any information provided by attendees, via medical/activity consent forms or by email or during face to face or telephone conversations will remain within the Forest Approach , unless information disclosure is considered necessary for individual welfare reasons. (See Child Protection Policy)

All records, registers and consent forms, will be kept in a locked safe when not required to be present at our workshops. (contact/medical details)

Personal information given to us by attendees will not be given, or sold to third parties for marketing, or any other purposes.

Personal information given to us by  attendees will not be used by us for future marketing purposes unless express permission has been given for it to be used in this way.

Photographs taken during Workshops may be used for online marketing purposes, if permission has been granted via the session consent form or from parents attending a session.

If photographs are wanting to be used for other purposes, such as in a report, or printed brochure, then individual permissions will be sought from the adult/parents/carers or child concerned.

If video footage has been taken during our Workshops, permission from adults/carers or parents of the children involved will be sought before the video footage is used  either online or as part of a talk/presentation.

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Environmental Policy    

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We recognise the potential impact of woodland activities on the natural environment and endeavour to ensure that the work that we do encourages all learners to develop a high level of respect for the natural world, helping to maintain the sustainable use of the woodland and enhancing its biodiversity and ecological value. At the Forest Approach we achieve this through ongoing education the learners who use the woodland and by taking steps to protect, conserve and develop diversity within the flora and fauna of the woodland.

We carry out an environmental impact assessments to evaluate the impact of activities in the woodland and we use the outcomes of this to inform our sustainable woodland management plan.

Management activities are aimed at protecting and enhancing the biodiversity of the woodland and include:

Felling, Coppicing, Selective thinning

Establishing habitats for insects and small mammals

Replenishing tree stock through planting

During woodland workshops we teach learners to look after the woodland – this is one of our ‘things we remember’ at Forest Approach and we discuss what that means, e.g. using natural resources from the woodland floor rather than picking leaves and flowers, taking care when looking for insects and ensuring that any found are returned to their habitat, etc.

We involve learners in clearing away at the end of each session and leaving the woodland as they found it.

The Forest Approach holds environmental sustainability as a core value. When resourcing our activity sessions or running training we are mindful of reducing waste and of the need to re-cycle and re-use rather than buying new. Through doing this we hope to demonstrate and encourage a wider respect for the environment.

We recognise the choices we make as buyers and consumers have a wider impact on the environment and we take this into account in our purchases by ensuring that, where possible, we buy items which are

Produced as locally as possible

From sustainable or renewable sources

Produced ethically with regards to the environment, and to workers’ and animal

welfare.

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Safeguarding policy 

 

   

The basis of our procedures are to safeguard the welfare of children and young people under 18 and vulnerable adults who attend The Forest Approach

When a child, young person or vulnerable adults has been or alleged to have been emotionally, physically or sexually abused by another child, young person or adult, it is important that the appropriate protection procedures are followed in respect of the child and the alleged abuser.

The Forest Approach has a policy that if abuse by any member of our staff is suspected there will be immediate Police intervention to determine whether a crime has been committed. We will also conduct its own investigation to determine whether misconduct has taken place.

Confidentiality

Confidentiality is not complete secrecy. It is a relationship of mutual trust. Its purpose one of benefit to the young person.

The person receiving information about abuse should always explain that in order to protect the young person it will be necessary to share the information entrusted to him/her with other Agencies.

It is essential the confidant assist the young person through the initial process, which may well cause them considerable anxiety.

Course of action we will take

If anyone has knowledge or a suspicion that a child is being abused or is at risk of abuse, then they have a duty to refer their concern to the appropriate Social Services department at the earliest possible opportunity.

All Forest Leaders and volunteers should be vigilant to signs that a child is under stress and in need of help. If there is continued cause for concern or doubt persists social services should be consulted. The prime concern is to safeguard the young person or vulnerable adult.

A young person or vulnerable adult alleging that they have been physically or sexually abused should always be taken seriously (even if that statement is later retracted) and reassurance given that it was “right to tell”.

The child, young person or vulnerable adult will not be given an absolute guarantee of confidentiality, even if this is a precondition of them telling. It should be explained to the child that certain other people would need to be told in order to protect them. They should be assured that any subsequent actions taken would be discussed with them at each stage of the proceedings.

The comments of the person, their appearance and behaviour should be carefully noted and recorded. No interview of the family members, parents or alleged abuser should be carried out. These are for Social Services or the Police to investigate.

All actions should be recorded and placed in a confidential file. Notes should be made of times, dates and personnel involved; these will be kept separately and securely in the safe at the Forest Approach office.

 

Confidentiality in relation to session attendees

We aim to respect the privacy of individuals and to keep information they have provided to us, in respect of personal details, confidential.

We strive to operate as follows:

Any information provided by attendees, via medical/activity consent forms or by email or during face to face or telephone conversations will remain within the Forest Approach , unless information disclosure is considered necessary for individual welfare reasons. (See Child Protection Policy)

All records, registers and consent forms, will be kept in a locked safe when not required to be present at our workshops. (contact/medical details)

Personal information given to us by attendees will not be given, or sold to third parties for marketing, or any other purposes.

Personal information given to us by  attendees will not be used by us for future marketing purposes unless express permission has been given for it to be used in this way.

Photographs taken during Workshops may be used for online marketing purposes, if permission has been granted via the session consent form or from parents attending a session.

If photographs are wanting to be used for other purposes, such as in a report, or printed brochure, then individual permissions will be sought from the adult/parents/carers or child concerned.

If video footage has been taken during our Workshops, permission from adults/carers or parents of the children involved will be sought before the video footage is used  either online or as part of a talk/presentation.

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Privacy policy

 

Privacy Policy for The Forest Approach  
We are committed to protecting your privacy and security. This policy explains how we use your data and your rights regarding it. The Forest Approach acts as the data controller under data protection laws.
Visitors subscribing to our mailing list need to "opt-in" for marketing communications due to GDPR regulations effective May 25, 2018. We will never sell your personal data and only share it with your consent. For any inquiries about this policy, please contact theforestapproach@hotmail.com.
How We Use Your Personal Information 
Your personal information is used for the purposes specified during your subscription or event registration, including:
- Communication about workshops and follow-up events
- Donation administration
- Research and analysis
We ensure marketing communications are relevant to your interests. Each email will include an option to unsubscribe. Your data may be shared with staff and volunteers as needed. Your name and phone number may appear on check-in sheets at events for logistical purposes, which are destroyed afterwards.
What Information Do We Collect? 
When you fill out forms on our website, we collect personal data necessary for our purposes, such as your name, email address, and telephone number. We typically only collect sensitive data if you volunteer with us or attend multiple events. In such cases, we take extra precautions to protect your privacy. Sensitive information will be securely stored.  
- Name  
- Age (if under 18)  
- Email address  
- Telephone number  
- Emergency Contact  
- Name of doctor  
- Medical conditions  
If you donate, we keep records of your donation details. 
In case of an accident or incident at our events, we'll maintain a record that may include personal data. We may also receive personal data from third parties, such as when partnering with another organisation or sharing information on social media.
For volunteers, we may collect additional sensitive information (e.g., references, background checks, emergency contacts, medical conditions) for legal and safeguarding purposes. 
How we use personal information
We only ever use your data with your consent or where it is necessary to:
Enter into or perform a contract with you
Comply with a legal duty
For our own (or a third party’s) lawful interests, provided your rights don’t override these. In any event, we’ll only use your information for the purpose or purposes it was collected for (or else for closely related purposes):
Marketing
We use personal data to communicate with people, promote The Forest Approach, and help with fundraising. This includes updating you with our news, events, and fundraising information.
Administration
We use personal data for administrative purposes. This includes:
Fulfilling orders for events (whether placed online, over the phone or in person);
Help us respect your choices and preferences (e.g., if you request not to receive promotion/news update material, we’ll keep a record of this).
Disclosing and sharing data
We will never sell your data. Occasionally, when we partner with other organisations, we may also share information with them (for example, if you register to attend an event jointly organised by us and another organisation). We’ll only share information when necessary and notify you first.
Marketing
As of May 1st, 2018, mailing list subscribers must “opt-in” to be included on our mailing list. We only promote events to people by email, but we will update this page if that situation changes. Marketing is not just about us selling events but also sharing news and information about our activities, including:
Upcoming events for adults and children
Training courses
Fundraising events
Volunteering opportunities and how you can get involved
Ideas for you to use to help deepen your connection with nature.

When you receive a communication sent via email or marketing, statistical information is collected about how you respond to or interact with that communication. This information may affect how we communicate with you in the future. This information helps us ensure that communications are relevant and timely.
Photographs, pictures and stories featured on our website and social media
Our organisation is about ‘community’, and we actively seek to share insights about our activities with the wider community. If we use your photo or your child’s photo or story, we’ll not usually include their name and age unless these facts are relevant to the piece and we have sought the permission of the parent/carer to do so. A ‘child’ is defined as any person under 18.
We take great care to protect and respect the rights of all individuals regarding their data, especially children. In addition to our usual practice of verbally asking permission to use photos taken at events on our website and linked social media platforms, we will ask for your consent before we use any photos featuring individuals for email marketing campaigns.
How we protect data
We employ various physical and technical measures to keep your data safe and to prevent unauthorised access to, use of, or disclosure of your personal information.
Data submitted to our website is done through SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) to encrypt the data between your browser and the website server.
BACS event payments are made through secure systems between your bank and ours (Starling and Tide Banking).
Of course, we cannot guarantee the security of your home computer or the internet, and any online communications (e.g. information provided by email or our website) are at the user’s own risk.
Personal data submitted on paper is stored in a locked cabinet when not being used during sessions for administration purposes.
Storage
The Forest Approach operations are based in the UK, and our website is on a UK-based server. We use social media platforms, including Facebook and Instagram, which may mean personal data is transferred to or accessible from the USA. However, we’ll allow this as we are as certain as can be reasonably expected that personal data will still be adequately protected by the systems they provide.
How long do we store information?
We will only use and store information for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected. The duration for which information is stored depends on the specific information and its intended use. For instance, we will remove your details from our systems if you request not to be contacted by email. We regularly review the information we hold and delete any data that is no longer needed. Please note that we do not store any banking or payment card information.
Keeping you in control
We want to ensure you remain in control of your data and understand your legal rights:
1. Confirmation of Data: You can ask if we have your data and obtain a copy.
2. Data Erasure: You can ask for your data to be erased unless we need it for lawful reasons.
3. Rectification: You have the right to correct any inaccurate data.
4. Objection to Marketing: You can object to your data being used for marketing

Please note that there may be exceptions to these rights. For more information or to exercise your rights, please contact us at The Forest Approach, Unit 5, Hartford Bridge, Hartley Wintney, Hook, Hampshire RG27 8AE, or 07825 538447.
Complaints
You can file a complaint directly with The Forest Approach by contacting our data protection officer using the above details.
Links to Other Sites
Our website may contain hyperlinks to other websites. We are not responsible for the content or functionality of any external websites. If you encounter a broken link, please let us know by using the ‘Contact Us’ link at the top of the page.
If an external website requests personal information from you (for example, when ordering goods or services), please note that the Forest Approach Privacy Policy will not cover the information you provide. We recommend that you read the privacy policy of any site before sharing personal information.
When purchasing services from any businesses linked on our site, you will contract with them and agree to their terms and conditions, not with The Forest Approach.
Changes to this Privacy Policy
We’ll amend this Privacy Policy occasionally to ensure it remains up-to-date and accurately reflects how and why we use your data. The current version will always be posted on our website.
This Privacy Policy was last updated on 26.11. 2024
 

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