SCHOOLS and organisations are amongst those being asked for their views on the future of Bewerley Park outdoor education centre. Thousands of schoolchildren from across Craven have stayed at the centre near Pateley Bridge over the years on residential school trips - taking part in orienteering, canoeing and caving. But, North Yorkshire County Council says the pandemic has had a significant impact on its two residential sites - Bewerley Park and East Barnby, near Whitby, and it needs to decide how to go forward. It says the outdoor learning service lost the majority of its £2.25m annual income since March, 2020 when the centres were forced to close, and in the last financial year has lost almost £1m.
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Youngsters learn to ski at East Barnby Outdoor Centre.
Over the next few months, the views of different organisations will be gathered through questionnaires, user groups and other channels as the County Council carries out its review of Outdoor Learning Service.
The review will determine what North Yorkshire’s Outdoor Learning Service should look like in the future and what services it should provide for the county’s young people.
The pandemic has had a significant financial impact on the County Council’s two residential sites at Bewerley Park in Nidderdale and East Barnby near Whitby, which has resulted in the service losing the majority of its £2.25m annual income since March 2020, when the Government issued guidance to close outdoor activity centres.
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The huts which make up the Bewerley Park estate were built as temporary structures in 1939, with an expected life span of ten to twenty years THE FUTURE of outdoor learning is the focus of discussions at North Yorkshire County Council amid the latest review. Over the next few months, teachers, local organisations, young people and residents will be questioned on the Outdoor Learning Service. It comes after significant financial losses on the County Council s two residential sites at Bewerley Park in Nidderdale and East Barnby near Whitby. The service said it has lost £1m over the last financial year, 2020 to 2021 - just under half of its £2.25m annual income.