Welcome to the Wild Side of Life, founded twenty years ago to share my passion for food, conservation and connecting with the land through many different kinds of experiences to build a sustainable future.

With over 3 decades of foraging experience, I have taught thousands to forage safely & sustainably. As the author of “Poisonous Plants in Great Britain”, I can show you how to avoid making harmful mistakes too.


Our environment faces an uncertain future, and the destiny of our species and many others depends upon it. With this in mind, I invite you to come and learn some of the skills that we may need to build a sustainable future. Bring your camera, bring your notepad, bring your mind. Though we may forage for some common species, what you will take home will be knowledge of our interdependence. We must nurture our environment so that it can flourish and grow. That will be the real food that sustains us.

See you in the wild!
Fred Gillam aka ‘Fred The Forager’

As featured in BBC Countryfile Magazine UK Top 10 Foraging Courses 
& recommended in The Sunday Telegraph Top 5!

Best Food Foraging  Education Provider – UK South
Best in Category for our Forager’s retreat

  Acquisition International Award for Business Excellence

The Wild side of life is an ethical business. Our work has proudly supported:
The Childline Ball, London
BBC Children in Need, Carfest South, Hampshire
Toolbuzz Travelling Museum Project, Wiltshire
Bath & North-East Somerset (B&NES) Carers Centre
Festival of Learning, Bath
SCAN – Swindon Climate Action Network
The Chiltern Society
The Richard Jeffries Museum, Swindon
The Coracle Society

The Wild Side of Life has provided media content, team building and training for:
The National Trust
BBC
ITV
Chris Evan’s Carfest
Tate Britain
Charlie Bighams
Greencore Foods
National Federation of Women’s Institutes
Medical Herbalism / Integrative Healthcare bodies:
(NIMH, AMH, IRH, IRCH, ARCH)