Welcome to the Forest Bus website. We are a Registered Charity based in Marchwood, near to Southampton. Please feel free to browse our content and read about the work we are involved in with communities around the New Forest, Hampshire and further afield. The vehicles are used as mobile community centres from which a range of innovative projects are delivered by our team of skilled staff - a bit like a mobile community centre. We visit areas which lack amenities and services an doffer play, youth and community work with children, young people and their families.
In October 2007, the Forest Bus was awarded a grant of £240,184 as part of the 'Playful Ideas' fund.
This money was used to commission a specially adapted play vehicle. In February 2008, we took delivery of the Play van which is a brightly coloured vehicle with awnings attached to facilitate outside play. The artwork and the design of the vehicle was largely based on the ideas of the young people attending workshops and sessions provided by Forest Bus. The Playful Ideas project finishes in March 2012, and the funding awarded enabled us to appoint play workers and to deliver innovative play projects in Hampshire, and the borders of Dorset over the last 4 years.
Thank you to the BIG lottery fund for their award which has enabled us to work with over 300 children in the last year.
Forest Bus attended the Milbrook Gala day on Sunday. We had a lots of fun with young people attending who all worked together creating coloured fairy light lanterns and this fantastic piece of Rangoli artwork using mixed media & lentils.
The Forest Bus is AMAZING !!! They have a cool soft play area and some groovy colours and lights inside the bus. I made colorful lanterns and cool badges. The Staff are nice, helpful and the best ever! I Recommend you should get on board!
Jo Palmer from BBC Radio Solent interviews people from the Gypsy & Traveller community about what impact the Forest Bus charity has had on their lives and ultimately what it would mean to them if we were unable to continue providing services - due to the funding crisis and the economic downturn.
Jane Peacock then talks to Julian Clegg on BBC Radio Solent about the Forest Bus's work with Gypsies and Travellers and also about the negative impact which had been created in the aftermath of the popular Channel 4 TV series "My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding".
Forest Bus attended the Milbrook Gala day on Sunday. We had a lots of fun with young people attending who all worked together creating coloured fairy light lanterns and this fantastic piece of Rangoli artwork using mixed media & lentils.