English Midlands

Outdoor Learning in the Midlands

The Midlands encompasses a hugely varied landscape of both terrain and provision. Not just rivers and lakes, woodlands and moors the Midland's diversity extends from the canals and industrial urban landscapes to wilds of the Marches and the beauty of the Cotswolds. The breadth and expanse of the region means practitioners have a vast array of opportunities to deliver outdoor learning across the whole of the spectrum reaching into the dense conurbations and out to the rural idyls. No longer constrained by traditional roles the Midlands spearheads co-operative and cross-field working between the network of practitioner and providers.

The voluntary committee represents IOL in your region, get in touch with us. We wish to represent your views.

English Midlands Event 4th Feb 25

This was our second IOL English Midlands/ Association of Heads of Outdoor Education Centres joint meet up and kindly hosted by Shrewsbury Climbing Hut. We had a busy day with 25 attendees, lots of networking and conversations over the day and a bit of social climbing to finish.

The day started with a welcome from Oli Elphick, the Shrewsbury Climbing Hut Manager and he shared how the the indoor climbing and bouldering centre has developed to be suitable for all ages and experience, including school skill-based groups, those with Special Educational Needs and young people who are educated in alternative provision. Indoor bouldering is increasingly popular as it is accessible, fun and a great work out for the whole body, complete with a problem-solving element of combining mind and body.
In an update from Mountain Training, There were details of the new Bouldering Wall Instructor Award is due to be launched on 31st March 25 which enables experienced boulders to instruct bouldering on purposes made built artificial bouldering only structures in the UK and Ireland. (See presentation attached.

Stu Meese from the Outdoor Education Advisors Panel introduced the work of the OEAP Midlands Region on guidance for the Duke of Edinburgh expedition management including remote supervision. We agreed that this topic would be a focus for a future event including practical workshops.

Other updates were provided by AHOEC, IOL and the Adventure Activities Industry Advisory Committee.

There were workshops that covered Inclusive Outdoor Learning, Climbing for the visually impaired, Urban fieldwork and the Goal*Reality*Options* Will coaching model. (See attached). The workshop presenters were generous in sharing their expertise on a voluntary basis, and thanks go to Al Braybrooke, Des Barnett, Arran Holdsworth and Jo Barnett respectively.

We have a new Chair for the English Midlands Community Group, David Townend, Centre Manager of Edgmond Hall Residential Education Centre, who is already planning our next event, so keep a look out for another chance to meet up.