The New Forest Trust has appointed Julie Mottisfont to the role of Director of its Visitor Gift Scheme.
The Trust was formed in 2003 to secure the wellbeing of the New Forest by supporting activities and organisations who strive to conserve the flora, fauna and commoning practices of the New Forest.
In 2006 The Trust introduced a Visitor Gift Scheme, where hotels and businesses collect donations from visitors. The scheme which started with just one hotel is now working with more than 15 hotels and local businesses. Local organisations and projects that have been supported include the funding of reflective collars for ponies, bat boxes for some of the rarer species of bats and a sensory garden for the Countryside Education Trust. In August 2012, the Trust secured a New Forest RDPE (Leader) grant to enable it to develop the Visitor Gift Scheme and employ a Director.
Julie, who has a background in marketing in the tourism industry joins the New Forest Trust after having spent 5 years working for the RNLI at their headquarters in Poole. Richard Manley, Chairman of the New Forest Trust said “We are delighted to welcome Julie to the Trust at this very important time in the development of the Visitor Gift Scheme. Over the next few months we will be launching an exciting new strategy to further engage with visitors and raise even more funds for local causes. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the hotels and businesses taking part in the scheme – I am certain that without their help and support we would not have been in the position to move to the next stage of the development of the scheme”.