Petition Save Our Outdoor Education Centres

Our petition calls for the government to protect outdoor education centres from imminent closure by creating a fixed-term transition fund and providing business training which will enable Local Authority Centres to survive long enough to become self-sufficient.

One in 3 Local Authority outdoor education centres are threatened with closure. Millions of young people may be denied a potentially life-inspiring experience at a time when health, physical activity and contact with nature are all declining. For some children from poorer and disadvantaged groups this will be the end of “a once-in-a-lifetime” opportunity to share an overnight experience away from home and to visit places that they would not otherwise see. The sad fact is that closure need not happen in many cases; given some extra time many threatened centres could become self sufficient.

If centres close they may never reopen. Please act now to protect these unique opportunities for our young people.