Our neighbours at WilderMe CIC do incredible work and they recently launched a fundraising campaign to enhance their facilities at Maker Heights here in South East Cornwall, making their space even more accessible.
Walk just a few hundred metres from our shop and studio and you’ll find yourself surrounded by breathtaking sea views — looking out towards Kingsand and Cawsand, Plymouth Breakwater and Plymouth Sound. During late spring and throughout the summer months, this high, grassy field becomes home to WilderMe.
If you have read our recent blog about the team making 'Foxes' you will know a little bit about this wonderful CIC already and how, at Helen Round we contributed to their fund raising. We wanted to share more about WilderMe with you and asked their founders Natalie and Geoff to tell us their story.
How It Started
WilderMe began with a spark of curiosity and a trip into the countryside. Co-founder Natalie was working as a support worker in a residential home in London when she noticed that some of the residents were drawn to the idea of experiencing an outdoors based holiday. Acting on that instinct, she organised a glamping trip to Suffolk.
What unfolded on that trip was transformative. Moving from the city into nature created a sense of calm, confidence and connection within the group that was impossible to ignore. Natalie watched the residents relax, bond with each other and experience a sense of wellbeing that stayed with them long after the trip had ended.
From that experience, the seeds of WilderMe were planted. Natalie and Geoff soon left London with a shared ambition to create wellness breaks for autistic people, retreats built around the things that make us feel good: art, music, adventure, foraging, awe, and the grounding power of nature. They found the perfect setting at Maker Heights, and the journey officially began.
What We Do
After three years of planning and two pilot retreats WilderMe took shape as a unique 5-day nature-connection experience for autistic adults and their support staff in 2020. Guests immerse themselves in a blend of creative and outdoor activities ranging from African drumming to foraging, kayaking and nature treks. Evenings might be spent around a campfire singing, sharing stories or simply soaking in the night sky. There is also space for art and pottery, even surfing sessions and the enjoyment of wholesome, locally sourced food.
During the Summer holidays, WilderMe opens up to welcome families with autistic children, creating a space where they can feel understood, supported and connected. Over the years, more and more guests have returned, and those familiar faces have helped shape a real sense of the WilderMe family.
“What Geoff & Nat provide is a real beacon of light in the world of autism. The Maori word for autism is "Takiwatanga". It means "in his own time and space." This is what Wilderme, Geoff and Nat do” - Parent.
Our Impact
Today, WilderMe works with more than 350 people from the autism community, including residential homes, schools, autism organisations, independent autistic adults and families. Guests travel from across the UK, some from as far as Sheffield, drawn by the unique atmosphere of the Rame Peninsula. Its rugged coastline, peaceful spaces and wild beauty have become an anchor point for many who visit, and each year people return to reconnect, reset and rediscover themselves.
"There really is nothing out there like WilderMe: not only the setting (which is mind-blowing in every way), but the entire concept - something that works wonders for autistic children with busy minds.” - Parent
Looking Ahead to 2026
2025 was one of our busiest yet. Alongside running our retreats, we launched a major fundraising campaign to purchase new geodomes and accessible toilet facilities. These upgrades mean that this year, our site will be suitable for people with low mobility and wheelchair users, allowing even more members of the community to join us.
The support from our local community has been incredible. Individuals and organisations stepped forward with donations, over twenty local businesses contributed raffle prizes, musicians held fundraising events and our limited-edition Helen Round handmade Foxes helped us raise additional funds. With the added support of a grant from The Good Growth Fund, the new WilderMe site will open in April, setting a new standard for eco & socially conscious tourism in Cornwall.
WilderMe’s geodomes and whole site is available to book by the general public or to businesses wanting to run offsite - creative, strategic and wellbeing events. Every booking will directly support our mission to provide affordable holidays for autistic adults and families.
To book your eco getaway with a social mission or find out about our autism retreats check out www.widlerme.com or www.instagram.com/wildermeuk
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