Arthog Outreach in Wellington strikes gold

Arthog Outreach scored “top marks” for the quality of its outdoor education provision in a recent inspection.

The centre, run by Telford & Wrekin Council and based in Wellington, was recently awarded the gold standard by AHOEC – the Association of Heads of Outdoor Education Centres for the fifth time running.

AHOEC inspectors were on site recently to assess the Arthog Outreach team in action as they delivered a caving activity for a group of children from a local primary school.

While there, inspectors looked at how safe the centre was and assessed the quality of service and learning opportunities provided.

On the caving activity, the inspector commented “the learning I witnessed whilst underground was exceptional and great to watch the young people get involved” and that the centre offers “a well-qualified and experienced team of staff.”

The centre has been running for more than 18 years and offers a range of educational adventures in Wellington and various sites across Shropshire.

It’s open to all, including primary and secondary groups, private bookings, staff training experiences and much more.

It offers rock climbing, paddle sports, mountain biking, orienteering, bushcraft, underground exploration and much more. It also runs a regular children’s and adult climbing club, which people can book onto now through Ticket Telford.

Councillor Shirley Reynolds, Cabinet Member for Children, Young People, Education, Employment and Skills, said:

“The gold standard from peers is a testament to the quality of education and experience that our qualified instructors provide at Arthog Outreach to people of all ages.

“We are really lucky to have the centre in our Borough, which offers so many opportunities to get active and get outdoors, bringing so many benefits for physical and mental wellbeing.

“Providing children with outdoor experiences ties in perfectly with our 10 by 10 initiative, which encourages children to complete ten fun and enriching activities by the age of ten to discover new talents, build their confidence through play, and explore the world including visiting the countryside. It's about creating memories, building confidence, and fostering a lifelong love of the natural world.

“For families across Telford and Wrekin, the message is simple: getting children outdoors isn't just good fun – it's essential for raising healthy, happy, well-rounded young people.

“Congratulations to the whole team on scoring top marks and achieving the gold standard, what a positive way to end the year.”