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Kirklees kids are Outward Bound

Pupils from two West Yorkshire schools have experienced the thrill of the great outdoors thanks to Keepmoat.

In April, 24 school children spent five days at the Outward Bound Centre, in Ullswater, to help teach them a range of new skills and to give them the chance to hear about employment and training opportunities in the construction industry.

Year 10 and Year 11 pupils from The Community Science College at Thornhill and Bruntcliffe High School attended the course. Some of the youngsters live on the Fieldhead estate, in Birstall, Kirklees where Keepmoat is currently working on a major regeneration project on behalf of Kirklees Community Association, in partnership with Kirklees Council and Kirklees Neighbourhood Housing.

The children took part in activities including a 950 ft hike, an overnight camp in weather reaching minus five degrees followed by canoeing across Lake Ullswater. The pupils also took part in team building activities such as wall climbing where they had to rely on each other to get over a 10 ft wooden wall.

Keepmoat organised and funded the Outward Bound course to help put something back into the community where it is working and to encourage young people to think about a career in the trades and the construction sector.

In line with that commitment, later this year Keepmoat will provide four apprenticeships, two trade and two technical, for young people from the Kirklees area.

Pupil Tom Pickles, aged 16, who lives in Leeds and who goes to Bruntcliffe High School, said: "At school I know I can achieve my goals and Outward Bound has taught me that I can do anything if I put my mind to it."

Pupil Josephine Fisher-Bickerstaff, aged 14, who lives in Thornhill and who goes to The Community Sciebce College at Thornhill High School, added: "I've been able to improve my communication and teamwork skills particularly in the hikes we've done and on the overnight camping trip which I enjoyed the most."

Keepmoat's Dave Elliss, Keepmoat's Kirklees Partnership Project Manager, accompanied the pupils on the trip but actually attended an Outward Bound session in Ullswater 27 years ago, completing similar tasks to the young people from Kirklees.

He said: "The course was hard work but gave me skills that I have used during my career such as teamwork and to keep going when things get tough. I'm delighted that young people from Kirklees, where Keepmoat is working, are now set to benefit from the skills Outward Bound teaches too."

Dave spoke to the pupils about his experience at Outward Bound and read excerpts from a diary he'd kept throughout his trip. Staff even found his original course certificate and report.