Height Gate, the outdoor centre owned by the Woodcraft Folk near Todmorden, West Yorkshire, was packed last Saturday for a special event marking the twenty-fifth anniversary of the opening in 1999.
In the years since then, Height Gate has given large numbers of children, young people and adults the opportunity to stay in stunning Pennine countryside and enjoy the chance to appreciate the natural world at first hand. The centre is located high up above the Calder valley, very close to the Pennine Way, Britain’s first long-distance trail.
Children whose parents themselves had once been children in the Woodcraft Folk locally helped cut the large birthday cake and also assisted as Ben Jancovich, the Mayor of Todmorden, planted an oak tree next to the centre. Appropriately, the Mayor himself had also been in the Woodcraft Folk as a young person.
Felix Pepler, Centres Manager for the Woodcraft Folk, said:
“Enabling children and young people to get out into the heart of the countryside has been at the core of our organisation’s activities throughout the ninety-nine years we’ve been going strong. Height Gate is a unique seventeenth century building which offers an unforgettable experience for all who stay there.”
The Woodcraft Folk, which was founded in 1925, is a children’s and young people’s educational charity with strong links to the co-operative movement. The centenary will be celebrated next year with a series of activities including an International Camp.
The Height Gate Centre is open to the public for bookings and can be used by up to 30 young people. Head here to find out more https://woodcraft.org.uk/centre/height-gate-outdoor-centre/