Forest of Dean areas but the focus has been to capitalise on the scenery and to create jobs from tourist attractions and the leisure sector. Significant numbers of residents work outside the area, commuting to Gloucester, Cheltenham, Bristol, Newport and Cardiff. For hundreds of years, mining in the Forest of Dean Coalfield has been regulated through a system of freemining. This, and other forms of self-governance, coupled with the Forest's geographic isolation between the rivers Severn and Wye, has given rise to a strong sense of cultural identity in those from the area, who are collectively known as 'Foresters'. The ancient rights were
Bradon Forest School Bradon Forest School Bradon Forest School is a mixed secondary school in Purton (near Swindon) in the English county of Wiltshire. In September 2015 the school converted to academy status and is now part of the Athelstan Academy Trust, which also includes Malmesbury School in Malmesbury and The Dean Academy in Lydney. The headteacher of Bradon Forest School is Julie Dickson. The school was established in 1962 as Bradon Forest Secondary School, initially with accommodation for 390 pupils. By 2016 there were 856 enrolled. Actress Billie Piper once attended the school, as did footballers Matthew Mills and former Swindon Town