Arthog centre celebrates 50 years of serving Shropshire people
A council outdoor education centre in Snowdonia celebrates 50 years of playing host to Shropshire people this year as number using the centre increase.
The centre at Arthog has a special place in the hearts of many Shropshire people and it continues to go from strength to strength, with 2012 its busiest ever year.
A special celebration event to mark the 50th anniversary saw a new garden and celebration stone unveiled by Councillor Paul Watling, Telford & Wrekin Council’s cabinet member for Children, Young People and Families.
The celebrations will also be marked by the Arthog Roadshow, which is joining in a number of events across the county. Staff will be bringing a mobile climbing tower to the events.
The roadshow will be attending events this summer including the Shropshire County Show, Big Jubilee Lunch in Bridgnorth, Whitchurch Community Event, Ludlow Festival, Cosford Jubilee Event and Telford Culture Fest.
The site where Arthog now stands has been used by school groups from Shropshire since the 1950s.
Visitors originally slept in canvas tents and the communal areas was a large marquee. In the early 1960s, the then Shropshire County Council made the decision to improve the site.
This signalled the start of major building programme which saw the site develop from being a seasonal campsite to being a fully fledged residential outdoor education centre.
Mr Ken Pearce, the first full time warden, took his post up in 1962 and this marked the start of the centre as it is known today.
The celebration event saw people with past links to the centre celebrate the occasion and former warden Mr Pearce and some of the children staying at the centre cut the ribbon and unveiled the stone.
Councillor Paul Watling, cabinet member for Children, Young People and Families, said: “Outdoor education experiences add real value to the development of young people and a visit to Arthog should be seen as central to a child’s education, not just an addition to it.
“I am delighted to have been invited to help mark the occasion and I also think its fantastic that staff at the centre are visiting a number of major county events this summer to mark the 50th anniversary.”
