Mepal Outdoor Centre

WORK to relaunch the troubled Mepal Outdoor Centre has continued to gather pace over the winter – and staff are confident of a grand reopening at Easter.

Cambridgeshire ACRE and the Mepal Outdoor Centre Charitable Trust joined forces back in October to save the centre for permanent closure. Repair and restructuring work has continued to take place since then.

Now, the centre is looking for a new manager and senior and volunteer instructors so training and preparations can begin for the grand re-opening.

Mike Handley, head of finance at Cambs ACRE, said: “The children’s play park is not in a good state of repair so that will probably remain closed in the short term but all the other activates, including water sports, archery, shooting and climbing will be available once we re-open.

“We have some bookings in place already, including a number from the Scout movement, and we are looking for a new centre manager, instructors and volunteers so we can be ready for opening again around Easter.”

The centre was facing almost certain closure in September last year after East Cambridgeshire District Council refused requests for an £85,000 grant to cover the centre over the winter.

The outdoor centre was spared however, when the trust entered into a working arrangement with Cambridgeshire ACRE, which offered to bring its expertise in the management of community-run organisations.

Mr Handley said that Cambs ACRE would remain involved in an administrative capacity with the centre until October, when full control would be handed back to the trust.

For any queries about job vacancies or volunteering opportunities at the centre, visit www.cambsacre.org.uk for more information.