Campaign launched as Girlguiding reject bids for outdoor centres

The two charities who submitted bids have not been told why their bids failed, or the identity of the preferred bidder.

In response to the decision, the Save Our Centres campaign group has launched a social media campaign with #TellUsWhy to get answers from Girlguiding.

Foxie’s Future and Waddow Hall Trust, two charities founded by Girlguiding members, had submitted bids for Foxlease in the New Forest and Waddow Hall in Lancashire, which closed in December.

Foxie’s Future met Girlguiding’s asking price for Foxlease, raising £2.5mn in nine months from a Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities’ grant and community loans.

In a Facebook post, Foxie’s Future said: “We were very surprised that at no time has Girlguiding given us the opportunity to match any higher bid or to submit a revised offer and at this time we have been given no reason why we were not selected. We find it difficult to accept that their decision can be the right one, given that we submitted a bid above their listed guide price for both Lots, the vast support we have from their membership, the extensive benefits for the future use by their members and the synergies with Girlguiding's publicly declared aims and future strategy.”