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
Help spread the word
We continue to ask for pledges to reach our target of £750,000. We are hugely grateful to all 138 of you that have pledged £526,300. This leaves us with £223,700 to raise to reach our target...
Read full update
A tremendous effort
A very big thank you - 120 of us have now pledged over
£500,000 to Save The Forester. Your enthusiasm and commitment have been extraordinary. We do, however, still need a further £250,000 in pledges to reach our target...
Gaining support
We are delighted to share that this past week has been truly fantastic — with pledges from 65 supporters totalling £400,300. This represents more than 50% of the target sum...
First public meeting
Our first meeting on the 15th November, held at St Andrew’s Church was attended by over 130 people, copies of the minutes and presentation have been circulated. Our MP John Glenn attended and has thrown his weight...
Photo Gallery
A look back at The Forester...
