Festival of Hope

Step into a weekend of connection, nature, and optimism at Heal Somerset this 26–27 July 2025. This free two-day gathering is for 18–25-year-olds who are passionate about hopeful futures and the healing of our planet. Located on a 460-acre site that began its transformation from dairy farm to rewilding haven in 2023, the land is already witnessing a remarkable return of nature — from blooming wildflower meadows to the presence of free-roaming beavers. You’ll explore this peaceful and recovering landscape and discover how rewilding works in practice, guided by insights from the Heal team, expert guests, and each other.

Across the weekend, expect inspiring talks, wild walks, creative workshops, games, a shared campfire dinner, and plenty of space to connect with peers and professionals who care deeply about nature, climate, and community. Whether you're already active in the environmental space or just curious to learn more, Festival of Hope is your space to dream, connect, and recharge.

Heal Somerset offers camping in a field in the heart of their land, with glorious views and a tranquil setting. It is a basic, self-service campsite with a compostable loo and water point, making it close to a wild camping experience. Please note, you will need to bring all camping gear with you!

Saturday 26 July

• Outdoor events including exploring the land at Heal Somerset, learning about wildlife and rewilding practices
• Indoor events and activities, including games, quizzes, talks and more
• Plenty of free time to chat, socialise, connect and network
• Evening social dinner event - cooking and eating together
• Evening campfire
• Out of the Darkness evening soundscape performance by Heal Somerset

Sunday 27 July (until 10am)

• Outdoor events - more opportunities to explore the land
• Indoor events - more activities and time to connect

This festival is free to attend, and donations to Heal Rewilding are optional. You can choose to book for the full weekend -- with camping and meals included -- or to attend for the Saturday only, departing before dinner. Transport from Frome is available - book early to avoid disappointment!

Age

Festival of Hope is open to anyone aged between 18 and 25.

Camping

Wild camping is available on site at Heal Somerset. The camping is basic with a mains cold water tap and toilets but it does also have excellent views! If camping is not your thing, there are lots of places to stay in and around Frome and Bruton which are a short drive from the site.

Food

For those who purchase a weekend ticket, Saturday dinner and Sunday breakfast are included. We have a water point on site but everyone will need to bring their own lunch and snacks!

Location

Heal Somerset is in a very rural location, a few miles from Bruton, Frome, the A303 and the Wiltshire border, at Lower West Barn Farm, Bindon Lane, Witham Friary, BA11 5HH. Directions will be sent in a confirmation email.

Transport and parking

The remote rural location means that travelling here by car is the most practical option. If you are driving, parking is included in your ticket but you will need to select a parking ticket for each day you will be on site so we can keep an eye on the number of cars. We will do some pick ups from Frome station for those travelling on trains, please book this in advance.

Clothing and other considerations

We recommend that you wear sturdy shoes or walking boots suitable for rough, uneven ground and wellingtons if the weather has been very wet in the days leading up to the event. If the forecast is wet, bring a waterproof jacket and a hat. To reduce the chance of ticks finding their way inside clothing, we recommend long trousers tucked into socks. If the forecast is hot, it's best to wear layers including a light cotton shirt or t-shirt and please bring sun cream and potentially a hat. We also recommend bringing a water bottle, preferably a reusable one (you will be able to top it up at the site) and plenty of antihistamine if you suffer from hay fever.

[We give this level of detail to encourage wider participation by people who may be unfamiliar with being at an outdoor event and we hope this is useful for them as well as a reminder to those already aware.]

Accessibility

If you are a wheelchair user or have any other additional accessibility requests, please email events@healrewilding.org.uk to discuss requirements. We now have a Tramper (an all-terrain vehicle) to enable you to tour the mown paths on the site at your own risk.

If you use an assistance dog, your dog will be welcome.

Dogs

We welcome assistance dogs but you can't bring a pet dog or any other pets to the site.

Cancellation

We reserve the right to cancel this event in its entirety or one of the event days, but this will be avoided unless absolutely necessary. Changes to the programme including speakers could be made at anytime.

Please note, tickets are non-refundable unless the event is cancelled.