A DENBIGHSHIRE Woodland Skills Centre has been awarded a gold medal by the Royal Welsh Agricultural Society (RWAS) for the best Community Woodland in North Wales.

The RWAS runs competitions for Welsh woodlands each year and, in 2021, looked at woodlands in North Wales giving awards in nine different categories.

One of these categories is for a Community Woodland with public access in which Bodfari's Warren Woods, home of the Woodland Skills Centre, won the gold medal and first prize.

The awards were presented at the RWAS showground on September 8.

The Woodland Skills Centre site is in the heart of the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley AONB and comprises 40 acres of the Warren Woods which are managed for people, wildlife and profit.

The woodland is open to the public at all times.The site also includes a further 10 acres with arboretum, vineyard, allotments, medicinal herb garden, heritage orchard, wildflower meadows, apiary, polytunnels, tree nursery, workshops and energy-efficient timber-frame buildings.

A spokesperson said: "The centre is run by a community-owned, not-for-profit Social Enterprise company and holds around 70 courses a year in traditional crafts, art, bushcraft, countryside management and mindfulness. The centre also runs live music, poetry and drama events and days for children and families.

"During the week, the centre runs a wide-ranging Social Prescribing programme supporting people of all ages including mother and toddler groups, pupils excluded from school, adults with learning difficulties, people with dementia, long-term unemployed, refugee families, referrals from MIND and home education families."