A charitable incorporated organisation founded by former Girlguiding leaders has launched a crowdfunding campaign to buy an activity centre due to be shut down by Girlguiding.
Foxie’s Future CIO is named after the mascot of the Foxlease activity centre in Hampshire, one of five sites Girlguiding announced it would sell earlier this year to help secure its financial future.
Announcing the move in May, Girlguiding said it would cost more than £20m to restore the five sites, adding: “We cannot afford this level of investment.”
Hazel Warwick, a trustee of Foxie’s Future, told Third Sector the estimated price of Foxlease depends on the price point at which Girlguiding decides to market it.
But she said: “My current estimation for the purchase, initial works and working capital until the centre is fully up and running is £3m to £4m.”
The Foxlease crowdfunder has set an initial target of £90,000. Warwick said the CIO’s key outcomes are that a fundraising and grant appeal will put it in a position to purchase Foxlease when it comes to the market.
She said: “This will be a mixture of grant applications and direct fundraising from current, past and future users and supporters of Foxlease – and, hopefully, corporate donors.”
She said that a future goal for the organisation will be for it to broaden its existing range of users, “engaging the wider local community for all ages as well as our existing user groups, enhancing accessibility and increased usage.”
Last month, as Girlguiding confirmed its plans to sell the five centres, Deborah Lafferty, chair of Foxie’s Futures, said the charity may be prepared to consider the CIO as a purchaser of the site.
Warwick said the CIO had met twice with Girlguiding since the end of its consultation period.
When contacted for comment, Girlguiding UK referred Third Sector to previous statements relating to the sale of the site.
In August, a spokesperson from the charity told Third Sector: “Girlguiding’s trustees will make the final decision on the terms of sale for each activity centre and will look to provide the best outcome for the charity.
“Girlguiding continues to be open to options on the sale of the properties, and have been approached by several interested parties, including members.
“We value the lasting and happy memories that have been made over the years and know they have an important place in Girlguiding’s history.
“It is a difficult decision that we wish we did not have to make.
“But it has been made because we have limited resources, we need to focus on our core purpose of supporting girls and volunteers, and we need to make sure Girlguiding is sustainable for the future.”