Advance tickets are now on sale for the National Forest Wood Fair. With 20% discount on the gate prices, book in advance and get a fantastic family day out for just £20.

Go online and book now for a brilliant end of summer hols event. This year's National Forest Wood Fair takes place on Bank Holiday Monday 26 August at Beacon Hill Country Park, and will be packed with activities for everyone to enjoy. Children will love the climbing wall, the birds of prey, paddling a coracle, eco art and ranger-led craft activities. There will be plenty for parents to try as well - whether it's pole lathe turning, willow weaving or pulling a draw knife on a shave horse (nothing to do with the four-legged variety!)

The sawdust will fly once the lumberjacks take the stage, and the chainsaw sculptors slice and tease magnificent shapes out of lumps of wood. See massive log chippers in action, and the wood mizer slice through planks of wood like butter.

Richard Drakeley, Tourism Development and Promotions Officer for the National Forest Company said: "The National Forest Wood Fair has a reputation for being a fun, family event, a perfect day out for families who like things to do, with quirky activities to try, and plenty of good value, beautiful things to buy.  Don't forget the charity auction at the end of the day, when hand-crafted items from many of the stall holders are up for sale to the highest bidder."

The opening hours for this year's show have been extended, with admission from 9 am until 6 pm, giving visitors even more opportunity to make the most of all the attractions on offer. A free park and ride service will be available from Leicestershire County Council's County Hall at Glenfield, Leicester.

The National Forest Wood Fair is run by the National Forest Company in partnership with Leicestershire County Council.  It is held in the stunning setting of Beacon Hill Country Park, just five minutes from the M1, junctions 22/23.

On the gate admission will cost adult £9; concession £6; family (two adults and three children) £25. Buy in advance and save 20%:  adult £7.20; concession £4.80; family £20. For more information and to buy tickets visit www.nationalforestwoodfair.co.uk, or buy in person, or over the phone, at either Ashby de la Zouch or Swadlincote Tourist Information Centres.

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Media contact: For further information contact Carol Rowntree Jones, Media Relations Officer, National Forest Company, 01283 551211 / 07870 568628 email: crowntreejones@nationalforest.org

For background information visit www.nationalforest.org Digital images are available: please contact:  media@nationalforest.org

NOTES TO EDITORS:

1. The National Forest area covers 200 square miles of the counties of Leicestershire, Derbyshire and Staffordshire.  Its objective is to increase woodland cover within its boundaries from an initial six per cent to about a third. No multi-purpose forest on this scale has been created in the UK for one thousand years. To date the proportion of woodland cover in the Forest has more than trebled to 19 per cent and in 2012 HRH the Duke of Cambridge planted the eight millionth tree in the Forest. 

2. Year by year, The National Forest has been steadily turning what was once one of the least wooded areas of England into a multi-purpose, sustainable forest. The National Forest provides environmental, social and economic benefits, including landscape enhancement, creation of new wildlife habitats and major new access and leisure opportunities. It is an excellent example of sustainable development - with environmental improvement providing a stimulus both to economic regeneration and to community pride and activity.

3. To achieve these objectives, the National Forest Company leads the creation of The National Forest, working in partnership with landowners, local authorities, private business, voluntary organisations and local communities and has strong support from Government, politicians and the public.  The Company receives grant in aid from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

4. The Independent Panel on Forestry, in its final report published in July 2012, stated: 'The National Forest exemplifies how a long term, resourced and focused agenda can increase publicly accessible woodland in an area alongside other environmental and economic benefits.'

5. In 2008, the National Forest Company and partners won the inaugural Sustainable Development UK Award, for their work in Ashby Woulds, at the heart of The National Forest.