A crowdfunding campaign has been launched to keep open one of five Girlguiding activity centres that are set to close by the end of the year.

Last month Girlguiding announced it will plough ahead with plans to sell the five centres it owns.

This includes the Foxlease centre in Lyndhurst, Hampshire, which a group of campaigners is looking to buy.

The campaigners have formed their own charity Foxie’s Future and set up a campaign via the Crowdfunder fundraising platform to raise £90,000 by 26 October. So far £18,000 has been raised including Gift Aid.

This total is needed as the charity needs “to raise capital quickly to support the purchase price”, which is set to be in the region of £3m.

“However, once the site is obtained there will be regular running costs to support, along with repairs and restoration work”.

We're excited to details of our upcoming #haveyouheardaboutfoxies social media campaign which we'll be launching alongside our crowdfunding page on Friday 1st September 2023! Please visit the website for more information ♥️🦊 #foxiesfuture pic.twitter.com/BLRZEXHoNz

— Foxie's Future (@FoxiesFuture) August 27, 2023

The other four centres to close are Girlguiding’s Blackland Farn, Glenbrook, Waddow Hall and Ynysgain sites. Bookings are still being taken at all five sites until the end of the year.

In announcing the sites' closure Girlguiding said its trustees “will make the final decision on the terms of sale for each activity centre and will look to provide the best outcome for the charity”.

“Because we are at the start of the process of selling the activity centres, we have no further details to provide about who they will be sold to, or how.

“We continue to be open to options on the sale of the properties, and we have been approached by several interested parties, including members.”

Foxie’s Future said: “It is our intention to fundraise to purchase the site from Girlguiding when it comes to market later this year.

“Our aim, if successful in our purchase, is to restore and preserve the historic buildings, site and adventurous activity provisions so that they remain available to future generations of young people and the community that currently uses the site, both local, national and international.

“We believe that Foxlease is a place like no other with a unique history and a myriad of opportunities.”

When plans to close the centres emerged earlier this year campaigners had asked Girlguiding to consider selling its central London headquarters instead to save money and keep the sites open.

Foxie’s Future has three trustees according to the Charity Register, including its chair historian Deborah Lafferty, who is based at the centre.

Meanwhile, on 1 September Girlguiding closed its British Girlguiding Overseas operation.

This decision was taken amid concerns over the charity’s “future ability to run an overseas operation in 36 countries and territories across the world, each with separate laws and regulations”, according to Girlguiding chief executive Angela Salt.

Share Story: