I have been following with some interest the campaign to transfer the Wilderness Centre at Plump Hill to a Community Interest Company so that it can continue to provide the environmental and educational services that have been in place for so many years. Many families will be only too aware that this educational service has been used and valued by generations of local people.

I know personally, and have worked with, some of those who are currently giving up their time and working extremely hard to save this unique Forest facility. I can also vouch that they are an exceptional group of professional people with an outstanding track record of service to this community. They are a well-qualified and talented group of local people with the best interests of the community at heart and they deserve our support. I too believe that the worth-whileness of this important project speaks for itself. The thought of it being sold off to a developer or similar, at the expense of the people of Gloucestershire seems to me to be an unacceptable prospect.

I am a community–minded person and I believe in taking a long-term view of what is in the best in interest of society. I am right behind David Cameron's Big Society philosophy and support the present government's localism agenda. It would be a real shame if short-term political expediency or cash objectives are allowed to get in the way of developing a genuine community initiative.

It has occurred to me that there may also be some value for money issues relating to the county council's current policy position.

I wonder how much public money has been spent to date mothballing the Wilderness Centre and securing the premises?

Presumably the building is gradually deteriorating. Are there other costs currently being footed as a result of scrapping the service and to keeping the building empty – eg insurance, council tax etc? There would appear to be several public interest things to consider here.

I would like to encourage other people who feel like me to add their support to the call to transfer the built assets to a community group who are both willing and able to continue a valued service that has been abandoned by the county council. I have offered my personal support and help to the community group working to reinstate and develop the service and told them that I would lobby on their behalf.

If you value this service and would like to find out more check out the following websites: www. the

wildernessproject.org.uk and www. friendsofthe

wildernesscentre.org

– Jean Birkett, Soudley.