The project is being spearheaded by Simon Birkett, a tattoo artist from Warminster, through his organization, The Woodlander Initiative (TWI). Birkett has purchased two plots of land near Llanafan Fawr, where TWI plans to host its first “family camp” in September.
The group has raised £162,000 through online fundraising and aims to gather £1 million to buy land in every British county. Birkett has described the initiative as necessary for “building that alternative” against the “darkness” of modern society.
Birkett has reportedly been a member of controversial political parties, including the British National Party and the National Front, over the last few decades. His efforts to create white-only enclaves have prompted backlash. According to a report by The Times, David Lawrence, senior researcher at Hope Not Hate, said the land needs to be monitored.
“Their financial and logistical hurdles are steep and there is an element of fantasy here,” Lawrence said. “Organised efforts to retreat into isolated, ideologically pure communities can pave the way for further polarisation.”
The outlet reported that TWI was launched to forge ties with “far-right” movements, including Patriotic Alternative and its leader Mark Collett. At the organization’s conference last year, Birkett said, “We need to start building that alternative, our own businesses, our own institutions.”
“We need our own areas, we need our own land, we need our own buildings, we need our own conference centres. We need our own communities for our own culture. And it is down to us to start building it,” he added.
In a recent YouTube video, Birkett encouraged his supporters to infiltrate the Reform UK party. “You could become a councillor, you could become an MP … we need people in positions of power,” he said, urging followers to keep a low profile while trying to influence the party from within.
“If we can get enough of our guys in there talking the right talking points we may be able to drag that already existing party further our way,” he added.
A source within Reform UK told The Times that vetting procedures are in place to ensure individuals affiliated with TWI are “never allowed in the party.”
