Membership - Friends of HARE
HARE is a nature-centric community cooperative of nature-loving practitioners, who collaborate to bring their services to our local community. Our current members include artists, crafts tutors, wellness practitioners, art therapist, forest school leaders, land workers, teachers and mentors. We are open to any people offering any service that is in line with HARE's aims and values. You can apply to become a member using the button at the bottom of the page.
Based in Hazel Woods, Mitcheldean, Gloucestershire, our purpose is to nurture the well-being of people in the Forest of Dean, through mindful connection with the natural world and creativity. ​To achieve this aim, we offer a variety of workshops and events in our woodland. ​Past workshops and offerings include:
Children's Forest School Workshops
Woodland Stay & Play for young children and carers
Woodland Well-being Walks
Gardening in local school for children identified as needing mental health support
Family Days & Open Days
Christmas Wreath Making Workshop
Networking Events for practitioners
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Upcoming workshops in 2026 include:​
Wild Clay Workshops
Basketry Workshops
Children's Forest Skills Workshops (in school holidays)
Foraging
Herbalism
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We also offer woodland celebrations, including children's forest birthday parties.
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Our Structure
We run as a co-operative, which means we are people-centred and are run by our members for our community. We act together to build a better world and a sustainable organisation through cooperation. Putting equity, fairness, and social justice at the heart of everything we do.
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We believe that disconnection from nature, our creativity and our spirituality are huge driving factors in our current mental health issues in society as a whole. So all our offerings include these restorative elements and are structured around the seasons and sabbats of the wheel of the year.​
Becoming a Member of HARE
​Anyone can apply to be a member of HARE. Members decide which new members join, based on shared values and alignment in philosophy. We also consider current gaps in our skillset and what we are able to offer. Members use consensus decision making to reach agreement on all aspects of running the organisation, including choosing new members.
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If you are a practitioner who longs to have a woodland base to practice your craft and run your service, you can apply to become a member of HARE below.
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Why become a member of HARE?
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HARE already has the operational structures in place that you need to bring your vital services to your local community, including (see policy below for full details):
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A licence to use Hazel Woods for educational purposes
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A website to create bookings for your event, workshop, group, course or performance.
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Social media platforms with a following to advertise your service.
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Three years of serving the local community and building trust in our name and services.
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Public Liability and Employers Liability insurance for outdoor events.
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Risk assessment templates and examples
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Policies and Procedures & due diligence
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Session plan templates
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Admin support to get your service bookable and advertised, if needed.
Many self-employed creatives, wellness practitioners, land workers and small charitable organisations work alone in a siloed way, with limited resources, time and energy. Feeling overwhelmed, isolated and stretched too thin, having to run all aspects of a business or organisation alone.
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Working within a co-operative structure means that instead of each of us running all aspects of a business, we work as a team, focusing on what each of us is good at. We share the load. We work collaboratively with other like-minded individuals. Our creativity is given more space to grow and develop ideas and our stress level reduce. We are able to communicate, bounce ideas off each other, and feed on each other's curiosity, excitement and enthusiasm for the work. And, we love to have a good natter and toast a marshmallow on the fire.​
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If you have any queries after reading this page, or the policy below, please contact us.
