Aber Action Team 27th February 2012
Aber Outdoor Education Center (or Bryn Coedwig, which is Forest Hill in Welsh) is in desperate need of some attention. The building is showing signs of fatigue and many, many years of wear and tear. Unless we do something now, the future of adventurous experiences for children at Aber will be under threat.
Vice-Chair of Widehorizons and ex-Headteacher of Forest Hill School, Graham Agnew and former Head Peter Walsh, have formed the Aber Action Team to help bring the centre back to its former glories so that children can experience their adventure learning in a centre with good, quality accommodation and facilities.
Widehorizons intend to spend a week at the centre from the 27th February 2012 painting, decorating and completing minor repairs, and have estimated that we need around £15,000 to fund our plans.
If you can help, donate now to ensure that thousands of children will get the adventure and outdoor learning opportunities in their lives that they deserve.
All donors will be kept up to date with the progress of the project and, of course, you'd be most welcome to visit!
Widehorizons Wildlife Walk
Our first ever Widehorizons Wildlife Walk will be taking place on the 3rd July at 11am. This family friendly sponsored walk will not only give you the chance to support Wildhorizons great work, but will also be a great opportunity to find out about local wildlife in this area (you may even spot a bear or two).
The event will start and finish at the Environmental Curriculum Service (ECS), 77 Bexley Road, Eltham with four exciting walks to choose from.
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The Bear Hunt
There are three and five mile options for these walks and even a toddler friendly short cut option. These walks will enable you to discover a forest, meadows and a swomp on your hunt for honey. The five mile version will even lead you to a cave and castle. |
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The 10 mile Challenge
This is not for the faint hearted. The ten mile trek however will enable you to explore some of the most beautiful green spaces in south east London, whilst learning about the wildlife it supports. |
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To find out more about the walk contact us on 02088501581 or e-mail zoe.strong@widehorizons.org.uk
To register download the application form below:
Download: Family application form
Download: Individual application form
Please post completed application forms to Zoe Strong, Environmental Curriculum Service, 77 Bexley Road, Eltham, London. SE9 2PE
Spaces are filling fast so register ASAP to avoid disappointment.
If you are interested in volunteering please contact Zoe Strong zoe.strong@widehorizons.org.uk
Widehorizons and Bryntysilio Outdoor Education Centre join forces
The future looks bright for children in Walsall as Widehorizons welcomes the stunning Bryntysilio Centre in Llangollen to its group of outdoor centres.
Bryntysilio has been delivering inspirational adventurous activity for Walsall schools for many years and has, in that time, built a strong reputation based on the quality of the staff and the programmes.
Anthea Cooper, Head of the Centre at Bryntysilio, is delighted with the transition into the Widehorizons group. She said “The synergy between our organisations was incredible and has made the move as easy as it could be.” She added “We are really excited about the future and look forward to delivering our exceptional courses to children in 2011 and for many years to come.”
A management team, consisting of staff and trustees from both organisations, have already initiated the plans to increase the capacity of the centre to address the need for outdoor education in Walsall, and beyond.
The project is being led by Widehorizons Chief Executive, Mike Penny, who said “Bryntysilio is a beautiful place where magic happens, children have been coming here for years and having wondrous adventures that make a lasting difference to their lives, and that is exactly what Widehorizons exists to do,” Mike added “We are thrilled to be adding a great centre and great staff to our organisation and we really look forward to delivering inspirational outdoor education together”.
Bryntysilio offers residential adventurous activity and outdoor education experiences in a well equipped 50 bed centre set in beautiful grounds just outside Llangollen. Some of the activities that they provide for all age groups include climbing, orienteering, canoeing and mountain biking.
If you would like to find out more about the courses at Bryntysilio and to check the availability, please contact the Bursar, Barbara Raybould on 01978 860454 or office@brynty.co.uk.
Widehorizons receives no funding from the government and only 10% of its income from local councils. They make every effort to keep their fees to an absolute minimum to ensure that they are accessible to every child in the community, and they are reliant on the generosity of donors to keep their operations going. If you would like to support Widehorizons, or the Bryntysilio centre, please visit Charity Choice or contact Alex Brooks-Johnson on 0208 850 1581.
Brnytysilio Outdoor Centre
The worst kept secret is out! Following an approach from the Walsall Camp Trust just before Christmas, Widehorizons has agreed to manage Bryntysilio for the Summer.
The two Trusts are working to secure a longer term partnership and for this we need your help!
The ‘Secure the future of Brynty Campaign’ is designed to mobilise community support for the centre and the campaign. In order to build a secure future we are going to need advocates, volunteers, funders, business partners and donors.
To build the Brynty community please join us!
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Read the Press Release |
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Competition
As you may have read, Mike Penny, the Chief Executive of Widehorizons began his career at St Francis of Assisi school in Aldridge in 1978.
He would like to find the Head of Geography..his first name was Dave, and the Head of History, Clive.
So who are they and where are they now?? A £100 donation will be made when he gets the right answer!!
Learning Away Partnership
It's a partnership between Thomas Tallis School, St Matthew Academy and Widehorizons. The network is being supported by the Paul Hamlyn Foundation as part of its Learning Away Programme.
Learning Away is a £2.25m Special Initiative that aims to support schools in significantly enhancing young people's learning, achievement and well-being by using innovative residential experiences as an integral part of the curriculum. The initiative began in 2008 and will run for six years.
Learning Away was founded on the belief that high quality residential experiences can provide extremely powerful learning opportunities for children and young people - and indeed, for adults as well. When we considered that less than a fifth of a young person's waking time is spent in school, the opportunity to engage young people with much more intensive, rich and deep learning experiences that residentials can offer was compelling.
A key challenge for schools is to connect residential experiences with pupils' day-to-day learning to ensure that the benefits are effectively built upon and sustained. Planning a progression of residential opportunities throughout young people's school careers can really accelerate their development as successful learners, confident individuals and responsible citizens.
"For some children a week's residential experience is worth more than a term of school. We know we want it for our own children - we need to make sure other people's children experience it too."
- Tim Brighouse, former London Schools Commissioner and advisor to the Paul Hamlyn Foundation
January 2011 - Townsend Centre - Prize Draw Winners
Here is the result! We are pleased to say our winners are both teachers from visiting schools - Holywell and Tiffin.
First Prize - Sally Taylor of Holywell School
Second Prize - Mark Horwood, Tiffin School
Thank you all for your generosity in purchasing our calendars; proceeds from which are going towards "Making Ballard" Special. We have raised £190.00 which we will be using to help furnish our soft recreational space - once again THANK YOU!
November 2010 - Margaret McMillan - Learning Outside the Classroom Quality Badge
Margaret McMillan House in Wrotham, Kent has shown itself to be at the top of the class for educational visits by being awarded a Learning Outside the Classroom Quality Badge.
Margaret McMillan House’s fantastic performance means that schools no longer need to complete a risk assessment in order to visit.
The inspector said, ‘Overall, I was impressed with the centre and the grounds, and the use the centre makes of its location and environment. The compact nature of the centre and its experienced staff group makes it easy for staff to share learning knowledge and help each other develop and to manage risks effectively.’
October 2009 - Future Builders Report on Widehorizons
Below is an extract from the Futurebuilders website regarding its investment into the Trust:
Widehorizons believes in the transformational power of the natural environment on health and wellbeing and the advancement of outdoor education, but to address the declining infrastructure and get more children visiting the centres Widehorizons had to investigate funding options, which is when it came across the Futurebuilders Fund. Mike Penny, CEO, asserts how advantageous this was:
“The Social Investment Business raised our ambitions because at the time my objectives we modest – only to build an office. We had a business plan full with our aspirations for the next five years and it was The Social Investment Business who said they could help us with costing some of our services up so that we could make a major step change in our provision! That valuable investment, push and guidance has led us to where we are today”.
Following successful completion of this work, Widehorizons went on to receive a £1,072,000 Futurebuilders full investment. This investment comprised a £1,500,000 loan to refurbish Margaret McMillan House, Wrotham, Kent and the Townsend Centre, Swanage, Dorset; a £114,500 capital grant for business development to refurbish and set up the central office based at the Environmental Curriculum Centre in Eltham; and a £106,500 revenue grant for recruitment and staffing costs over the first 12 months.
Mike explains that the “money from the Futurebuilders Fund was the first major investment for us for thirty years, it was over £1,000,000! It enabled us to turn a dilapidated old wing into a beautiful building with modern facilities that sleeps 60. It has also created two more classrooms – We are extremely happy with McMillan house, it’s fabulous!
Future endeavours at Widehorizons
Mike passionately explained that although Widehorizons has come a long way in increasing its capacity and has evidently expanded its provision, the drive never stops for improving its services. Future plans in the pipeline include fully catering for disabled children whereby installing tailored equipment and bedrooms. Mike details:
“We are looking into catering for disabled children because they rarely get the same experiences as an able bodied child. We are launching a campaign to raise money to adapt and develop our facilities to cater for disabled children so that they can take part just as any other child can in outdoor adventure. We would ideally like to have respite care for children in the weekends also. We are launching an appeal that’s called ‘Aiming even higher for disabled children’, like the Government’s ‘Aiming high’ which, we hope, will be a successful fundraising campaign for the next two years and provide the funds for our vision”.
Included in this vision are escapes for families who have a disabled child. Families like these from disadvantaged areas rarely get a holiday and this initiative would provide adventure skills for all the family and enable children of varying abilities to play side by side.
Widehorizons has a unique influence locally on the role of outdoor education. Many Widehorzon attendees haven’t been to the country or the seaside before so for some even open spaces and outdoor games are novelties. Even the local residents notice the change in visiting youngsters – Wrotham Taxi driver Sue proclaimed that many apprehensive teens arrive at Widhorizons only to return with big infectious smiles on their faces – “what a difference fresh air can make!”
July 2009 - Townsend Celebrates its 80th Anniversary
“GOR blimey! Ain’t it wunnerful!”
That, allegedly, was the reaction from one schoolboy back in July 1929, as he became one of the first to visit Swanage Boys’ Camp, what is now the Townsend Centre in Swanage.
The boy, having climbed up the hill to the camp in Cobblers Lane, had never seen the sea before.
That reaction is still a common one from children when they arrive today.
The camp was set up by Bournemouth Rotary Club and, on its inception, one member said: “It is our hope that, year by year, close upon 1,000 boys will receive inspiration from the surroundings hereabouts, and that their lives will reflect the memories of their stay; the possibilities for good will result.”
The camp was set up to give children from the cities a taste of the seaside and its continuing relationship with Greenwich Council means that today that is still exactly why the centre exists.
The camp ran more or less unchanged for almost 40 years, when the Greater London Council took over the lease.
The biggest change came in 1976, when girls were admitted for the first time.
Greenwich Council took over the lease in 1990 and under its management, the centre was extensively refurbished in 1993, with a new dormitory, dining room, en suite facilities and an additional classroom all constructed. As a result, the camp’s capacity rose from 48 to 76.
Widehorizons was set up after Greenwich Council looked at ways to better run outdoor centres and became operational in 2007.
Today, improvements to buildings are continuing, with a programme running into 2010 for a new dormitory and extended cottage, expanding disabled facilities and meaning more children can add to the 3,000-plus visitors that the centre receives each year.
With thanks to Bournemouth Echo for the above article
July 2009 - Widehorizons Abseil Day
Students, teachers and organisations from Greenwich and Lewisham raised nearly £15,000 for The Widehorizons Outdoor Education Trust.
Despite forecasts to the contrary the sun shone all weekend for the 170 adults and young people who climbed six storeys to the top of Eltham Green School and abseiled 25 metres down the side of the building. “You don’t realise how high it is until you get to the top and see right across London. Leaning backwards over the edge is the scariest part!” one abseiler declared when he reached the bottom.
Local special schools and groups supporting disabled children also took part in the abseil to raise money for the Widehorizons Appeal – ‘Aiming Even Higher for Disabled Children’ – which aims to raise £1.8 million to make all the Widehorizons facilities and teaching programmes fully inclusive.
The event was made possible with the kind support of Charles Cooper and Suresh Paul, two people who as youngsters visited Ty’n y Berth Mountain Centre, the Widehorizons Adventure Centre in Mid Wales. Charles is now director of Eyepro, an industrial rope access company and Suresh directs Equal Adventure, a charity supporting disabled people taking part in adventure activity.
April 2009 - Ty'n y Berth "Awards for All"
Ty'n y Berth Mountain Centres has made a successful £10,000 bid to the Big Lottery - Awards for All for canoeing and related equipment.
Awards for All is part of the Big Lottery and offers grants of between £300 and £10,000 for projects that improve communities, and the lives of people within them. It is for voluntary and community groups, schools and health organisations, parish and town councils.
March 2008 - Successful Futurebuilders - England Bid
The Trust has made a successful bid to
Futurebuilders - England for a multi-million pound loan and grant to refurbish Margaret McMillan House and the Townsend Centre as well as establishing a central office at the Environment Curriculum Centre in Eltham, London.
Futurebuilders - England is the largest social investor in the UK. Its aim is to substantially improve the financial and strategic capability of the thrid sector so that it can play an even greater role in improving the lives of the people and communities it serves.