Charity in line to buy historical Girlguiding centre

A charity has been chosen as the preferred buyer of a former Girlguiding centre, two months after its bid was rejected.

Girlguiding announced plans in May 2023 to sell its five activity centres, including the historical Foxlease estate in the New Forest.

The Foxie's Future charity previously said it had raised more than £4m to save the centre from being permanently closed.

It said it would open Foxlease to the general public as well as to Girlguiding members.

Girlguiding closed its five centres - Blackland Farm (West Sussex), Foxlease (Hampshire), Glenbrook (Derbyshire), Waddow Hall (Lancashire), and Ynysgain (Gwynedd) - at the end of 2023.

It said they had been running at a loss and required major investment.

Foxlease, a Georgian house with 64 acres (26 hectares) of grounds near Lyndhurst, was the site of the first Girlguiding world camp in 1924, with 40 countries attending.

Foxie's Future said supporters around the world had helped to raise the money in less than a year.

Previously, it said it was "devastated" to have failed to secure preferred bidder status and did not know the reasons why.

The charity said it was "absolutely delighted" by the latest decision.

Girlguiding said it was pleased to have reached an agreement with the campaign group and would provide updates in due course.

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