Welcome to a belated Newsletter from the Trust Office, manned by part time help at present. Unfortunately the Director post has not been filled to date and I am in the office 3 days a week for 3 months only. There are many problems on island in filling posts with suitable applicants, as there are fewer people around. The Trust has failed, despite two rounds of recruitment, to secure a Director following the retirement of Mrs Cathy Hopkins at the end of May. However we recognise it is very important that we find the right person to fill the position of Director as soon as possible if we are to maintain our capacity to cope with an increasing, and in many cases urgent, need to be actively engaged in the development, establishment and implementation of policies, projects and programmes for the natural and built environment as the island progresses towards the establishment of air access and a more highly developed tourism market.
 
Local salaries are always a problem, as more and more people go offshore to work as the cost of living rises along with land prices and building materials, and young people want to build their own homes. The Trust really needs to have better pay and conditions to retain staff. There is little understanding locally of the amount of work and commitment required as the duties of the Trust expand all the time.

We are sorry to announce that Dr. Rebecca Cairns-Wicks has resigned from her current post as Vice President, after the AGM, which will be in August this year. This is a big blow to the Trust as Rebecca has been the driving force behind it from the start, and works tirelessly for it. She helped to set it up in 2002, obtained funding for all the current Projects, coordinating visits and always being there for help, advice, guided tours, walks etc. – you name it, she does it. She confirmed that she continues as Project Manager for the OTEP Peaks Project which is due to be completed by end Dec 07 which she manages for the Trust, and she is also Chair of the Millennium Forest Steering Group. There would be no Millennium Forest without Rebecca’s dedication. These are two projects that she will continue to be engaged with which are not dependent on her being Vice President.

The National Trust is pleased to announce that Robert Draper has been appointed as the Trust’s Projects Officer for a contract period of approximately two years
Robert will be working with the Director & staff of the Trust, local and UK government, public and wider conservation community here and abroad to bring about the successful implementation of the National Trust Projects. This will primarily involve the management of the Overseas Territories Environment Programme (OTEP) funded “ Conserving St Helena's Gumwoods” project, the OTEP “St Helena Wirebird” project and the extension of the OTEP “St Helena Environmental Information System” (SHEIS) project. Robert will also support other Trust projects and develop new projects. The salary of the two year post is being met under the OTEP Conserving St Helena Gumwoods Project and it is an exciting development for the Trust. It creates the opportunity to develop and expand our programmes of work and manage OTEP funded and other priority Trust projects.
Robert will be based at the Trust Office in Broadway House and can be contacted on telephone 2190 or email sth.nattrust@helanta.sh

Cathy Hopkins will continue to support the Trust on the Trust Council. The Trust congratulates Cathy on her
award of MBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours and wishes her well in her retirement and lots of success with her new jigsaw business.

Barbara. B. George

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