The Wilderness Centre. Residential, Environmental & Outdoor Education

The Plump Hill Environmental Centre is part of Gloucestershire County Council’s Environmental and Outdoor Education Service for schools and youth groups. The Centre’s toilets and lobby have been refurbished using sustainable methods to reflect the service’s environmental ethos.

Local stone and wood materials have been used and low energy lighting and sunpipes have been installed internally to cut down on energy costs. Solar panels to heat water and photovoltaics to produce electricity have also been installed on the roof to cut carbon emissions.

Sharon Hockey, Plump Hill Centre Manager, said: “We are looking forward to welcoming our first school group next week to show off our newly refurbished area. The pupils and teachers who use the Centre will have full disabled access and will learn about the eco-friendly methods we use here. It is important to set a good example and make a positive contribution to protecting the environment, where we can.” The Centre specialises in providing environmental courses for primary and secondary age pupils and youth centres, teacher training and school visits and Calton Infants School pupils from Gloucester will be the first group to use the new facilities. Councillor Alan Pearce, Cabinet Member for Young People, said: “The county council’s environmental and outdoor education facilities provide a wonderful opportunity for children, young people and teaching staff to learn about the environment and their impact on it. I hope that the improvements to the facilities will encourage greater use, especially by children and young people with disabilities, who can learn about their surroundings while having fun.”