“The school is situated in an area rated as one of the most socially and economically deprived in Lancashire, indeed the country. Time away from home and living closely with their peers provides an excellent opportunity to ‘get on’ with others and to resolve problems and put aside differences without resorting to aggression and anger.

At Lord Street we are keen to use sport and outdoor activities as a means of directing excess energy and developing other talents within the children. The outdoor activities at Whitehough enhance the work we are trying to do within the school. The children took part in climbing, indoor caving, orienteering, problem solving and high ropes. All these were greatly enjoyed and I know that they have given the children memories that will live with them forever. The visit also provided considerable opportunity to develop social skills: sharing a room and looking after it, working together on team activities, preparing tables for meals, and even the most difficult and stressful part of the visit, finding belongings and packing bags ready for coming home. By the end of the visit the children were noticeably more organised and co-operative with each other.

The visit started with the children walking the eight miles from school to Whitehough. Many had never walked this distance and it was also apparent that many were not aware of the beautiful countryside surrounding their home town or just how close it was. We were joined by members of Nelson & District CHA walking club, who were commemorating the walk of Rev TA Leonard. Theywere a fantastic bunch and walked at a suitable pace for our children (and staff!). I couldn't believe how fit they were, considering their age. They are certainly a shining example to the benefits of walking.

Our pupils rarely get the chance to face challenges and overcome personal fears and worries. I feel that the opportunities provided by such a residential visit have helped to produce children who are more confident in themselves and who have a more positive self image.”

“Residential visits are character building in so many ways: they provide experience of staying away from home, of working and building relationships with others, of personal challenges in a safe environment and, possibly most importantly, catching a glimpse of, and taking a step into, the world beyond that which is immediately familiar. I think that this last aspect is particularly important for Oakefield’s youngsters as so many of them struggle to reach their potential due to low self esteem and expectations.

The purpose of the trip was to provide children with opportunities to improve teamwork and problem-solving skills though ‘action adventure’ activities. The trip was a great success and the children encountered many new challenges.

We have noticed that co-operation in class, often a problem in a school in our type of catchment area, has improved considerably and many of the pupils appear to have matured since going away from home. By far the most popular part of this visit was the hike through Loggerheads Country Park and the visit to Devil’s Gorge.”

“Thank you for funding five children so that they could take part in the outward bounds activities at Bockleton Centre. This has made a great difference to the children at Yorkmead who benefited from the funding, especially two autistic boys and several children with special educational needs. The staff were overjoyed at how these children responded to the activities and we saw a completely different side to their personalities in the freer atmosphere of Bockleton. Their confidence has improved considerably and this has been carried back into school.”