Save our outdoor education centres

Please sign the petition today by visiting:
http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petit...

We have launched a petition to the government calling for them to protect outdoor education centres from imminent closure.

Please forward this video on to any of your contacts who may be able to help by signing this petition. If we reach enough signatures the issue will be considered for debate in the House of Commons.

• Category

  Education

[Roy Gavin]

What is the closing date for signatures?

[FieldStudiesCouncil]

The clsoing date is 23/01/2013

[stevemaxbygrave]

Didn't worry about all the anglers you upset when you shut down the fishing, hypocrite comes to mind.

[MrSinistral1]

By poorly-run do you mean non-profitable?

[biggingerdude]

I agree completely that some LEA centres are well run; however some, at least a significant minority, are very poorly run. Poorly run private companies go out of business allowing well managed companies to thrive. Poorly run LEA centres, historically, have not been shut down when they have performed poorly for years. I wish that all LEA centres were successful but if they are proven to be unsustainable and a drain on their communities they should be allowed to perish.

[sheffielded91]

Challenges faced by LEA centres include constraints from LEA they serve, such as limits on charges made, inability to carry savings from one year to the next, bans on sending paper advertising to schools, not being allowed to take groups from other areas during quiet times etc.

Time to adapt, associated with greater freedom to act like a business, means that the removal of LEA funding needn't be the end of a centre. The fund the petition asks for will help centres to make the transition.

[12345daniel123451]

I don't work for an LEA Centre so am perhaps not the best person to respond but... around where I am based in Snowdonia there are many LEA Centres providing some really great learning. I am sure there are some which are less well run, much like I imagine there are poorly run private companies. The petition includes the recommendation that better support be given to those LEA Centres that need to develop their business model so they can be financially sustainable in the future.

[12345daniel123451]

There are many LEA Centres providing some really great experiences for groups (they are well regarded by their users, with good websites and generate significant revenue). The petition includes the recommendation that better support be given to LEA Centres that need to develop their business model to be financially sustainable in the future and continue to provide good outdoor educational experiences which is why I have signed up.