Welcome to Wylderne
Our purpose is to serve the flourishing of the local community, the unique natural habitat of the Forest, and the local economy. We will be based in the iconic grounds of the Wilderness Centre, a place loved by many local people for it is a beautiful spot. Indeed many came as children and spent their first formative nights away from home here.
We know this place well. Two of Wylderne’s directors have been running the outdoor activities centre at the Wilderness for several years. The Wilderness was sold by Gloucestershire County Council in 2014 and it fell into private hands. When it came up for sale again in 2023, we decided to set up Wylderne as a Community Benefit Society (registered with the Financial Conduct Authority) to buy it and keep it in community hands in perpetuity.
The site will now be managed for the benefit not of profit-taking, but for the thriving of the whole Forest community. Much of the funding we need is already in place. You can help get the purchase over the line and in doing so play a part in shaping the future here. In May 2025 we will launch a community share offer and you can invest any sum from £50 to £100,000. Any amount makes you a member, with one vote, meaning you will have your say.
These shares are not transferrable, but they do pay a return
Our vision
Wylderne Bioregioning is an evolution of the outdoor activities and residential experience that the Wilderness offered for over 50 years.
Our vision is now to be a learning centre for the whole Forest community.
You can read more about bioregioning here. Suffice to say, given its facilities, history and ecological vitality the Wilderness is a natural hub for people to connect with each other, and with Nature.
Children and young people are at the heart of our vision. Building thriving lives through good mental and physical health with an appreciation of how the natural world works will be a central theme in Wylderne Bioregioning’s programmes and activities.
There is untapped potential here in the Forest, a place between three rivers: the Severn, the Wye and the Leadon. While it is an edge place, sometimes forgotten, against the ancient boundary between England and Wales, it has also always been a ‘working forest’. And a place which from time to time has played a central role in the story of the whole country. You could add the wider world, too, for the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution was here in the lower Wye Valley. What role might it take now, given we are moving towards a greener economy? The Wilderness, as a Forest-wide learning centre could be where we find this out.
How to become a member
In May 2025 we will be holding a community share issue to raise capital towards the purchase of the freehold of The Wilderness Centre.
Membership is open to individuals over the age of 16, corporate bodies and unincorporated associations who support the society's objectives.
Potential members must provide their name, address, email address and telephone number.