Dates for your diary
Each quarter, the FEP hosts a stakeholder meeting which is an opportunity for our community to connect with like-minded individuals, celebrate some of the Forest of Dean’s exceptional businesses, charities and organisations, and focus on driving sustainable economic growth.
Meetings are held at different locations across the district and typically run from 5–6:30pm. They are free to attend and open to anyone who lives, works, or plays in the Forest of Dean and wants to see our area thrive economically. If that sounds like you, the FEP is for you!
We’ll also share details here about other events FEP is supporting or collaborating on.
Don't forget about the Travel Guide available on FODCAP's website if you're looking for the most sustainable way to travel to these events.
Upcoming events
Our stakeholder meeting dates for 2026 have been finalised, make sure you add these to your diary so you don't miss out!
-
Wednesday 18th March 5:30 PM - 7 PM
-
Wednesday 17th June 5:30 PM - 7 PM
-
Wednesday 23rd September 5:30 PM - 7 PM
-
Wednesday 16th December 5:30 PM - 7 PM
Past meetings
December 2025 Stakeholder Meeting
On Tuesday 2nd December we headed to the Growth Hub in Mitcheldean for our final stakeholder meeting of 2025.
Careers in Construction Day
Find out more here.
September 2025 Stakeholder Meeting
Innovation Awards Ceremony - June 2025
On 11th June at Lydney Town Hall we announced and celebrated the winners of our Innovation Awards!
Entries to the awards closed on the 31st May, was open to all businesses in the Forest of Dean, and had a £1,000 cash prize up for grabs. Find out more about the awards here.
Missed out this year? Join us for 2026!
February 2025 Stakeholder Meeting
On 12th February we headed to the Wilderness Centre in Mitcheldean for our first meeting of 2025. We were joined by sustainability experts offering support to local businesses who want to become greener but have no idea where to start. This was a great offer to our community ensuring the FEP are providing valuable support to the brilliant businesses of the Forest of Dean.
Find out more about the Wilderness Centre here.
4th December 2024 Stakeholder Meeting
We hosted Christmas drinks for our end-of-year round-up at AccXel Construction School! With a talented local singer, mince pies, and mulled wine, the festivities were in full swing. Hope to see you again next year for networking and Christmas cheer!
September 2024 Stakeholder Meeting
Our September stakeholder meeting took place at The Wesley in Cinderford. We were joined by some of the most exciting businesses and organisations who are leading the way in sustainable construction and infrastructure, both within our district and beyond.
Our guest speakers included,
-
Luke Freeman, joint Chief Executive of MF Freeman
-
Hayley Selway, CEO of Two Rivers Housing
-
Natalie King, Managing Director of AccXel Construction School
- Matt Dunkley, Construction Lecturer at Gloucestershire College
Read more about our stakeholder meeting here.
March 2024 Stakeholder Meeting
The first stakeholder meeting of 2024 took place Wednesday 6th March at the Speech House in Coleford.
Our guest speakers were:
- Chris Griffiths & Louise Slade of DEEP
- Pete Marshall of Outsource Automations Solutions
- Peter Allison of Together Gloucestershire
Click here to read our full blog from the evening and to view the agenda click here.
June 2024 Stakeholder Meeting
On 12th June 2024 FEP held our second stakeholder meeting at the AccXel Construction School in Cinderford.
Our guest speakers were:
- Khady Gueye & Issachar Foster, The Music Works
- Mark Jones, Dean Radio. View the presentation here
- Deb Cook, Forest Voluntary Action Forum (FVAF). View the presentation here
- Paul Williamson, Forest of Dean & Wye Valley Tourism. View the presentation here
- Rob Olins, Canopy Creative Network. View the presentation here
- Natalie King, AccXel
Click here to view the agenda and here to read Punchline Gloucester's article on the evening.
Business Events & Workshops
Forest Traders
Whether you are an existing business, just starting out, or thinking about going into business, Forest Traders offer networking sessions to support you and your business. The networking workshops are at a different locations each meeting and take place monthly. Sessions take place morning and evening, but are pre-book only. Email contact@foresttraders.co.uk or follow their social media pages for more.
The Growth Hub
The Growth Hub offers a wide range of workshops and courses, delivered by local experts, to help you and your team overcome barriers to growth and develop new skills.
Check out their upcoming workshops or visit their website via the link below for more details.
To get in touch, email forestofdean@thegrowthhub.biz or check out their events page here.