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Read our latest update
Keep up to date with developments on our project...
READ FULL UPDATE
About the campaign
The Forester has served the communities of Donhead St Andrew and Donhead St Mary and the surrounding areas for well over 400 years.
The pub was put up for sale in 2024 and closed in early 2025. Since then in July 2025, the current owners applied for permission to Wiltshire Council to convert the pub into a residence.
There have been over 250 objections to this application.
We are determined the application will be refused and the community will buy and operate the pub under community ownership.
The Forester will live on as it should, a pub and thriving community hub.
Ways to support us
Stay connected and get involved
Become a shareholder
More details will be available on how to become a shareholder in the first quarter of 2026. But in the meantime please give us an indication of how much you might be prepared to invest, by making a Pledge.
Donate your skills and materials
If you have skills that might be helpful to the setting up and running of the pub (whether that is hospitality experience, interior/external renovation, sales and marketing etc) please let us know.
Volunteer opportunities
As the project develops, our needs are evolving and we are also looking for volunteers who can contribute some time and energy to join the project and help us get the doors of the Forester open again.
Campaign updates
Keeping you informed about what we've been doing and how the campaign is going
Sign our new petition
We have launched a petition to demonstrate the strength of community support to keep The Forester as a pub ...
Where we stand on the pub acquisition
Discussions continue around an acceptable purchase price, however there has been little to report and we are still some way away from reaching an agreement. We will call a public meeting once a purchase price has been agreed...
Waiting for a response
Our formal offer was rejected by the owners who asked to see our valuation documents. Having now supplied these we wait for a response from them. Meanwhile, we've been putting this time to excellent use...
And even more good news
We are thrilled to share some truly exciting news: the Donheads' Community Benefit Society has now submitted a formal offer to purchase The Forester...
More good news
We have just received notification that Wiltshire Council have rejected the planning application for the conversion of The Forester to residential status. This is a landmark moment in our efforts to save the pub...