We are delighted to bring you our latest newsletter with details of new developments and special offers for our outdoor learning activities. The end of term and this academic year are in sight, so now is the time to book for the next academic year, 2025/2026. We still have a few available slots in September, so act now to reserve your booking. Please see details of our special offers below.
We wish you all a very happy summer break, full of fun, rest and play – not to mention good weather!
NEW SHELTERS FOR OUTDOOR LEARNING
A welcome new addition to our site, two large pergolas provide shelter from all kinds of weather for our visitors. They cover our seating and picnic areas, with one on each field.
They were expertly constructed using generous donations from a range of Charitable Trusts and an individual donor.
ASSAULT COURSE ADDITIONS
One of our most popular activities is the challenging, yet fun, assault course situated alongside our lake, used for canoeing, kayaking and the Vines & Bridges activity. Comprising 11 elements that are accessible to all ages and abilities, the wooden A-frame net will soon be replaced with a similar climbing activity, which is more robust. We are hoping to install a new element for September, the tyre wash, where participants have to crawl and navigate through an obstacle low to the ground.
We know these new additions will become firm favourites with all our groups!
SPECIAL OFFERS FOR OUTDOOR LEARNING
Unfortunately, charities, of which we are one, are not exempt from the new National Insurance rates introduced in April, and together with the increases in the National Minimum Wage, our costs have significantly risen, making it necessary to increase our prices. We completely understand that this has placed an additional financial burden on schools and parents.
The good news is that we are now able to offer a reduction between the period 1st October – 31st March 2026. For groups over 50, the reduction will be £2.50 per person, and for groups over 80, a reduction of £5.00 per person will apply. We also have an early bird bookings offer – for details please contact Lynne.
WORKING WITH OTHERS
As an outdoor learning charity, we are delighted to be working with The Westminster Specialist College, which provides education and training for young people aged 19 to 25 from the Sandwell, Dudley, Walsall, Wolverhampton and Birmingham areas who have moderate learning difficulties – helping them to enter employment.
A group spent seven weeks with us over the winter period taking part in a series of conservation tasks crucial to the continued upkeep of the site, with the reward of some adventurous activities at the end of their time with us.
Above is a photo of the students hard at work!
Led by our Senior Instructors, Westminster students were shown how to use a variety of gardening tools safely and they then set to work trimming and pruning trees, clearing overgrown patches and planting trees kindly donated to the centre by the Woodland Trust.
It is always good to hear from the visiting teachers how excited the young people are when coming to Woodlands and, of course, all their work is greatly appreciated by us and those that visit us throughout the year.
FIRST AID
In addition to his many outdoor qualifications, our Centre Manager, Craig Wright, is also a fully qualified first aid instructor who teaches first aid to young people and adults. We have the Mini Medics activity for children, and regular courses for adults who need certification in the workplace. These include First Aid at Work, Emergency First Aid, Activities First Aid and Paediatric First Aid courses.
Craig’s next course will be in August, giving participants a qualification in Outdoor Rescue Emergency Care. For more information, please contact Lynne to book. The cost is £110 per person, a great offer for this level of course.
CAVING
You may already know of one recent addition to our numerous fun and extensive activities – the exciting over-ground artificial caving experience. The area around the cave has been improved with pathways and camouflage, making the exterior more realistic. A large information board will be erected soon, explaining the long and interesting history of caving in the locality.
This is an experience not to be missed so come along to get a feel for the conditions our forebears worked in – and perhaps discover a new interest in caving today!
A VERY BIG THANK YOU!
The generosity of the Charitable Trusts who have funded vital items of equipment and those with allocated unrestricted funds never fails to move us and we are so grateful to them and to the anonymous donors who we cannot thank personally. We really appreciate your support, which is vital to our charity’s continued success.