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The more
local the wood is to the Service Users the better, as transport is
always one of the biggest problems. Ensure that the terrain is
suitable for your Service Users’ needs. Trip hazards are more
problematic for some beneficiaries with disabilities.
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Toilet
facilities are important if you intend to be in the woods for more
than a few hours. Portaloos can be hired but consider constructing a
compost toilet. See: www.compostingtoilet.org
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A rain
shelter is essential for green woodworking and arts activities so
that activities can continue even in inclement weather. At its most
basic, this could just be a tarpaulin, secured to adjacent trees.
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Consider
the site in regards to your particular Service Users’ needs.
For example, a specific risk assessment for a person with physical
disabilities must be undertaken.
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Service
Users with learning difficulties may have difficulties with trip
hazards and assessing their own body temperature when working
outdoors. It is important to reflect this in your risk assessment.
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Either
ensure that the site has a mobile phone signal or that an emergency
call-up procedure has been put in place.
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Ensure
that there is suitable access for emergency vehicles.
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The
woodland should be welcoming. Dense conifer plantations can be
forbidding and intimidating. The Forestry Commission undertakes
thinning to open up sites and invite access. Open spaces within
woodlands are often the best locations for activities.
