Forestry England

England's new members

Forestry England does wonderful work mobilising members of the public to make the most of natural green spaces. Its aim is to inspire active engagement with England's forests and preserve the country's green heritage via events and activities such as live music, educational and learning programmes, and exploratory outdoor pursuits.

This government agency is steadily growing its membership community and recently introduced a new national member category. National members have the opportunity to explore hundreds of forests across the country in the knowledge that their contribution helps support Forestry England's conservation work.

A new member pack

At Latcham, we specialise in delivering innovative solutions to facilitate and enhance customer experience for our clients, so were keen to deliver when Forestry England asked us to create a welcome pack to engage and inspire new national members. The pack needed to reflect the agency's brand and values – essentially a sustainable, visually appealing and cost-effective solution that didn't compromise on quality or aesthetic.

The pack needed to house several components:

• 16-page forest guide booklet

• Personalised letter from the chief executive

• Personalised car window permit

• Permit disc holder

• Personalised eco membership card

• Country map/forest-lifethrough-the-seasons calendar

The solution

Our first challenge was considering how to post out the pack. Any outer packaging needed to be sustainably produced, have capacity for all six components, and be the optimal size and weight for the best postal rate.

We landed on a cardboard envelope solution: bespoke outer packaging produced using Forestry Stewardship Council (FSC) material. This also gives better protection for the inner elements – a paper envelope or cardboard box risked being damaged in the post.

Low-environmental impact was key to our production strategy, so we also used FSC material for the personalised membership card, parking permit, booklet and poster. The chief executive's letter was produced on-demand using low-energy and water-based printers on recycled stock.

Enhanced member experience

We produced a visually appealing, practical onboarding piece for Forestry England's new members. We maximised quality design and creative opportunities for member engagement with its innovative brand and values.

Our expertise in complex personalisation resulted in each pack being individualised for maximum engagement.

Environmentally sound

We utilised sustainable materials and recycled stock aligned with Forestry England's commitment to environmental stewardship. It also communicated the agency's eco values to its members.

Cost effective

Our expertise in postal management enabled us to optimise the packs for timely delivery at the best postal rates.

‘We're really pleased with our new Forestry England national member welcome packs and the impact they're having in helping reinforce the enormous value of being a member.

‘We've already had fantastic feedback from members telling us how impressed they've been with the contents, and we're excited to continue enhancing and personalising the pack in the years to come.

‘Latcham has been absolutely brilliant to work with: flexible, collaborative and personable. It has made a potentially tricky project feel like a walk in the park … or, in our case, the forest!’

Dominic Head, Forestry England membership marketing manager

latcham.co.uk