Growing Outdoors North East
The free network for outdoor businesses in NE England.
Connect, collaborate and be part of a collective voice.Our members are businesses and freelancers working in adventure activities, outdoor learning, wellness-in-nature, and nature-based tourism. Our common ground is that our work is primarily delivered outdoors.
We are stronger together.
In our sector over 50% of businesses have a team size of one.*
Naturally, your network becomes your team. We help each other by swapping resources, collaborating on opportunities, and speaking together on the issues that matter - raising standards, visibility and influence for our profession.* GOV.uk business population estimates 2025.
Free to join. No hidden fees.
An informal, friendly space to connect.
The network is intentionally simple: we use free tools to stay connected, and it’s run entirely by volunteers. That means membership is free to all.What are the benefits of joining?
• Access to the Growing Outdoors WhatsApp community.
• Friendly meet-ups and events across NE England.
• Peer support and signposting for day-to-day challenges.
• Collaboration on opportunities that are too big to tackle alone.
• A stronger, collective voice on the issues affecting our sector.Who can join?
You must be actively trading in our sector and based in Northumberland, Tyne & Wear or County Durham.We're not for
National brands, recruitment, or sales-only spam.
The Growing Outdoors Team
We are 100% volunteer-led by people working in outdoor businesses.
Our volunteer mentors support the community and individual businesses to thrive. We also advocate for our members across local, regional and national networks. Our mentors bring a mix of real-world outdoor sector experience and practical business support skills.
Simon Laing
Network founder and volunteer mentor. Founder of Northern Latitude, an adventure company in Whitley Bay. Also a rural and coastal enterprise advisor.
@simon-laing
Jane Fisher
Volunteer mentor. Founder of Fresh Perspectives NE, supporting business leaders to grow using the outdoors as a canvas. Based in Allendale.
Is this you?
We're looking for additional volunteer mentors. If you work outdoors and have experience supporting other businesses, please get in touch.
@isthisyou
New members welcome.
Join the community (it's free) .
Tell us a little about you and your business. We’ll confirm you’re eligible and send the WhatsApp community joining link.
About us
Growing Outdoors North East is a volunteer-led network for outdoor businesses in North East England.We’re hosted by Northern Latitude LTD for admin purposes, but the network is community-first: no selling, no paid promotions, and clear community rules.We never share personal data relating to our membership without informed consent.Privacy Policy