Bream is a large village with a population of approximately 3,170 in the Royal Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire. Due to its size the village boasts a range of local businesses and services including a village shop, a doctors surgery, a florist, pharmacy, newsagents, post office and two take-a-ways to name but a few. There are also two public houses, along with a Rugby and Football Club and a Cricket Club. The village also benefits from a voluntary controlled Church of England primary school, a library, a community centre, a Methodist Chapel and a Gospel Chapel. Bream is within the catchment areas of a number of secondary schools, some of which offer post-16 education, as well as a local further education college.

The village is well connected to the local market towns of Coleford, Lydney and Cinderford all of which have good shopping and leisure opportunities. Due to it’s proximity to the M5 and M4 the village also has good access to the Midlands, the South West and South Wales with the cities of Gloucester, Bristol and Cardiff within an hours journey.

Like much of the Forest, Bream is historically a mining village; however due to the decline in the mining industry Bream now has a wider employment base with the majority of people working in skilled trades. As with the rest of the Forest many people from the village commute out to other parts of the Forest or further a field to Gloucester and South Wales.

The majority of households in the village, around 77%, own their own homes, although there is a significant housing association presence in the village with 17% of households renting from a social landlord. Unemployment is slightly lower than the average for the Forest and significantly lower than the national average. As with other rural areas house prices in Bream have risen significantly in the last decade with prices now averaging around £219,000 making it much harder for local people, particularly young people, to access owner occupation.

The Forest of Dean is one of Britain’s few remaining ancient forests and is situated between the rivers Severn and Wye. The Forest has a rich history as a royal hunting ground and mining area, as well as being famous for its timber and the free roaming sheep, deer and wild boar. These days the Forest has a growing tourism industry with many attractions such as the new Go Ape high ropes course, the Pedalabikeaway cycle centre and cycle tracks and the National Diving Centre.