Future for Freemining Training within the Foresters' Forest Heritage Lottery Funded Programme

The Forestry Commission is inviting tenders for the development, implementation and reporting on a training programme to enable miners in the Forest of Dean to achieve the skills and experience to become Supervisors of Underground Mining Operations. Our intention is to award this contract for a period of 4.5 years, from October 2017- March 2022.

At present within the Royal Forest of Dean Freeminers Association, there are a diminishing number of active Freeminers and the risk is that as this generation dies out, the skills and knowledge regarding how to understand the geology and techniques of mining in the Forest will die with them. There is a need to continually develop mining skills and training in traditional practices and methods of mining. Additionally training in the Supervision of Underground Mining Operations will present opportunities to develop and progress a career in mining to provide a new pool of Freeminers/Forest of Dean Miners.

Please express your interest in this tender to Sue Middleton (sue.middleton@forestry.gsi.gov.uk) by email by 5pm Tuesday 30th Oct 2017 to allow us to notify you of any questions and answers we may receive.

Additional information: Suppliers must express their interest in this tender by the 30th Oct 2017 and download the attached tender documents by the same date.