Part of the local community

People living close to Strathyre, Keldy, and Deerpark have known us for decades and those at our newer locations have been kind in welcoming us into the community. Being part of the local community is a pleasure and a responsibility we embrace. We are involved in rural life, we run projects such as Forest Schools for local children, and we work closely with local businesses and other organisations to promote and support our local areas.

The Public Forest Estate is a place to be enjoyed by all; our neighbours spend time in the forest on their doorstep, visitors come from further afield, and our guests enjoy a rare opportunity to connect with nature. You won’t find fences or entry barriers around our locations, just full public access to the forest.

We are respectful of our neighbours and our locations are peaceful, attracting guests who are looking for natural, unpackaged holidays. Our quiet locations have a 'no noise' policy after 10pm and we only allow minimal down lighting to guide our guests to their cabins in order to preserve dark skies.

"We love our forest and are very proud of it, and we wouldn't be happy with anything that might harm it, and we are very happy with Forest Holidays."
Sherwood Forest, Local Resident, Jodi

Britain’s forests are a huge natural asset and we are committed to helping secure their future. Ensuring that these valued spaces are actively managed, improved, and sustained for future generations is central to our vision.

Our passion for Britain's forests extends to the communities that surround them. The UK’s forests are for everyone to enjoy and we support and protect amenities for all forest users. We hope that by making improvements to the forest beyond our cabins, including new trails and pathways for day visitors and locals, more people will nurture, learn about and love our forests.

We also enjoy working closely with community groups and residents to help and support them in any way we can, from raising funds for local charities to working with schools to instil children with a love of nature. Our teams play active roles in the business community, volunteer with community initiatives and work closely with local groups and organisations. If we can get involved, we will, and we are always open to suggestions and requests from our local communities.

For our Forest Rangers, it is natural to spread the word about caring for the forest. This results in great relationships with local schools and other groups, to whom they offer opportunities to learn about nature and to spend time in the forest.

With an estimated 14 high street stores closing for good across the UK everyday, we are proud to support and promote local traders surrounding our locations. Edwinstowe butcher Gary Locke describes how his business welcomes the year round trade from guests staying in Forest Holidays cabins at Sherwood Forest.