Family fun in the forest: the FC Tour 2011

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Photo: Flikr, Tenspeed Photography
Get outside and into the music this summer with performances from Westlife, Keane, Blondie, Simply Red and Doves at one of the Forestry Commission’s Forest Concerts, which are seeking to promote responsible forest enjoyment
 

With the first signs of spring appearing and milder evenings to enjoy, it’s time to start thinking about how to make the most of them. For many of us, that means heading off to an open-air concert. But despite being lots of fun, festivals and concerts don’t tend to be environmentally friendly, thanks to the litter left by revellers and the accompanying destruction of natural habitats that can ensue. That however, could all be about to change.

To mark the international year of the forests, the Forestry Commission has arranged a live music tour aimed at encouraging responsible enjoyment of the UK’s forests. Featuring a series of 16 concerts staged in spectacular woodland locations around the country, venues will include Bedgebury Pinetum, Thetford Forest Park, the National Arboretum in Tetbury, Sherwood Pines Forest, Westonbirt Arboretum, Dalby Forest, Cannock Chase Forest and Dalamere Forest. Thanks to campaigns by the likes of 38 degrees, Caroline Spellman’s U-turn on the future of the Britain’s woodlands means these stunning locations remain a safe home for tens of thousands of trees and shrubs, as well an array of wildlife such as badgers, bats, wild boar, deer, foxes, dragon flies  and much more.  Each venue has been chosen with the enviroment in mind, so no ecologically sensitive areas will be involved, and concert litter teams will be brought in within 24 hours of the concert to remove all remaining rubbish.

The concerts take place during June and July with a wide range of artists scheduled to perform. With performances from Westlife, The Script, Keane, Blondie, Simply Red, Doves, James Morrison, The Saturdays and Status Quo there is enough variety to tempt all tastes; be it a girly outing singing along with Blondie, a family evening out dancing to The Saturdays or a romantic date with some soulful James Morrison.

Tickets are available online now from Get Me In! and start at £57.75

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