A BOLD move to restore freemining rights to future Foresters has won unanimous support from Forest of Dean District Council.

The ongoing restructuring of health services in the Forest of Dean has led to a call for a maternity birthing room to restore freemining rights to future Forest children.

Cllr Di Martin won unanimous support at last week’s meeting of the full district council, for a motion calling on Gloucestershire Care Services and the Acute Trust to establish new birthing

facilities within ‘the Hundred of St Briavels’.

This follows the ancient rights of anyone born within the Hundred to become a freeminer, a tradition that appeared to have died with the closure of the maternity unit at the Dilke in the 1980s.

Cllr Martin said: “The health services in the Forest are in a state of flux at the moment with the proposed closure of the Dilke and Lydney Hospitals and the building of a new GP surgery in Cinderford.

“So I think this is the right time to consider the re- introduction of some sort of birthing facility.

“I am aware that there are

not the resources for a full maternity unit but I would like to see a birthing facility or even just a birthing room supported by midwives to give local women the chance to give birth to their own little Foresters.

“I know it’s a dream but maybe it’s time to push forward to reinstate foresters’ rights.”

Maurice Bent, a Forest of Dean Verderer and former miner, saId: “This is fantastic news. It would have a huge cultural impact on the Forest and would be very popular.

“It would save ladies from having their babies at home or going into Gloucester.”