Camping Weekend at a Private Wildlife Sanctuary in the New Forest

Hello all,

We’re so excited to be bringing back our community camping weekend.

This is a chance to step away from the noise of everyday life and spend a weekend in nature with lovely people, meaningful conversation and a really welcoming community. It takes place in a beautiful private setting in the New Forest, on a private wildlife sanctuary with two lakes and peaceful surroundings that really help you slow down, breathe and reconnect.

These are real pictures of the actual location.

My friend has spent the last 10 years restoring this land to its natural beauty and it really is a special place to spend time. It feels peaceful, grounding and a world away from the usual rush of life.

Just yesterday I saw a herd of deer on the land, including a pure white albino deer, only a few feet from where we’ll be camping. It was one of those moments that stops you in your tracks and reminds you how special this place really is.

This weekend is about much more than camping. It is about connection, wellbeing, kindness and giving yourself the chance to do something a little different. Coming outside your comfort zone will often feel strange at first and that is completely normal. But some of the best things in life start there. You never really know if something is for you until you try it. So many people have come along feeling nervous or unsure and have gone away feeling happier, calmer and genuinely proud that they came.

As a community we help each other throughout the weekend, whether that is setting up camp, sharing a conversation, cooking together or simply helping someone feel at ease. No one gets left out and no one has to be anything other than themselves.

Important booking information

To secure your place, we ask for a minimum donation of £20.

If money is tight, please drop us a message and we’ll work something out. We never want money to be the reason someone misses out.

Please request the bank details and use the event date as your reference when making payment. Once that has been done, please then book your place on Meetup.

This minimum donation helps us cover the weekend and support future community wellbeing events.

Please only book if you are ready to make payment, as I want to spend my time helping people rather than chasing payments. If a place is booked without payment it will be removed.

What’s included

- Camping for the whole weekend in a truly special private location
- Use of the lakes, at your own risk
- Campfires on both nights
- A barbecue on Friday and Saturday evening. I’ll get it going and you’re welcome to bring food to cook on it
- A wellbeing talk
- A guided walk from the campsite into the New Forest
- The chance to get involved in building a traditional old-school fence and learn some real countryside skills
- A toilet on site
- Drinking water and somewhere to wash up
- A welcoming community experience that people often remember for a long time afterwards

Please bring your own tent, sleeping bag, food and usual camping gear. You can keep it as simple or as comfortable as you like. A lot of people help each other out and there is usually a lovely community feel around cooking, setting up and sharing the weekend together.

You do not need to be an experienced camper. You just need a tent, a sleeping bag and an open mind.

Weekend plan

Friday
- Arrive from 3pm onwards
- Set up camp
- Food together in the evening
- A short walk around the location
- Relax together around the fire

Saturday
- Breakfast at your own leisure
- Community walk in the New Forest from 10am to around 1.30pm
- Back for lunch
- Free time in the afternoon to relax, enjoy the lakes, explore the surroundings or just switch off for a while
- Barbecue together in the evening if you’d like to join in
- Campfire as the sun goes down

Sunday
- Breakfast at your own pace
- Time spent helping build a traditional fence on the land, which will be a lovely way to pay some kindness forward, learn something new and be part of the place while we are there
- Then more time to enjoy the surroundings, relax, chat, explore or simply be present
- We do not need to leave site until 3pm

A few extra details

I’ll be bringing a paddleboard and kayak so if we fancy it we can have a go on the lake. People may also want to try an open water swim if they feel comfortable doing so. Any use of the lakes is entirely at your own risk.

There is very little light pollution so if the skies are clear the stars should be amazing.

There will be a toilet on site but no shower facilities.

This is a simple, real and grounding weekend in nature, not a luxury retreat. That is part of the beauty of it.

This is such a lovely opportunity to spend time on private land in the New Forest with beautiful surroundings and good people. It is a chance to switch off a bit, connect more deeply, laugh, relax and maybe even surprise yourself.

If you have been thinking about doing something different, getting out in nature or meeting good people in a safe and supportive environment, this could be exactly what you need.

I’d love to welcome you along.