Our next inclusive activity days will be taking place during the October half term - watch this site for more info soon!

Thanks as always to all our contributors, volunteers and to everyone who came and took part.

The BTCV Volunteers have done some sterling work in the dale at Barnstondale Centre. Their biggest project was undoubtedly the restoration of the pond and building a dipping platform!

You can see how the pond looks now in our little video above and while the water level may be a little low at the moment a typical British summer should sort that out. We’re sure you’ll agree its looking great now, it didn’t look so good before the BTCV came to help. We can’t thank them enough. You can see photos of them working on the pond below.

Once the pond has properly re-established and nature moved back in fully groups will be able to use the dipping platform during their visits. A great new addition to the wide range of activities available for groups at Barnstondale Centre.

At Barnstondale we are able to offer you the chance for your child and friends to enjoy the excitement and adventure of an outdoor pursuits party at our Outdoor Pursuits Centre. You can select from a number of activity choices and we take care of all your outdoor pursuits party needs ensuring a stress free time so you can also enjoy the fun.

OUTDOOR PURSUITS PARTY ACTIVITIES

We offer a full range of outdoor pursuits activities for you to select from:

The Tower!

provides outdoor climbing & abseiling onsite
tallest in Wirral
professionally supervised
exhilarating, motivating & FUN!

Archery!

A rewarding challenge
All equipment provided and safety checked
Professionally supervised
Better than watching Robin Hood!

Adventure playground

A fully featured adventure playground
Opportunity for guided challenges or free play

Also available

The chance to try outdoor pursuits such as:

Orienteering
Quarry Climbing (off site)
Quarry Abseiling (off site)
Canoeing (off site)
Problem Solving

Or even some indoor pursuits!

Giant screen Nintendo Wii games
Play ours or bring your own

BOOKING

Outdoor pursits parties - days, half days or evenings - can be booked and even residential accommodation can be provided.

Click here to make a booking enquiry!

CATERING

Catering is available to suit your needs and your pocket, including hot or cold meals, bar-b-qs etc. As an alternative, you can even bring your own food.

OUR GUARANTEE

All outdoor pursuits activities are professionally supervised by fully qualified staff and the Centre holds an AALA Licence.

Our staff are all CRB checked and we are fully insured.

FURTHER INFORMATION

For more information click here to visit our website

Or click here to make a booking enquiry - we’ll be right back in touch with you

You can call us on:

0151 648 1412 and ask for the Centre Manager, George Jones.

Excitement & fun!

The archery and rock climbing were very exciting.
Bradley Cottrell

I really enjoyed the rock climbing it was cool. I would definitely come again.
Leanne, Litherland

I really liked doing kayaking too so that will be a great experience for the people yet to come to Barnstondale.
Michael Shelton

The event, held at the Life Centre, Bebington, saw 3 Barnstondale Centre volunteers receive gold award medallions for volunteering long service from Wirral Mayor Andrew Hodson. Stephen Hyde (pictured left with Julia from the Autistic Society), Clayton Thorpe and Paul Earl (pictured receiving his award from the mayor) have been at Barnstondale Centre for 12 years.

Hail, rain, sleet or snow, these 3 guys have been at the centre week in, week out throughout that time, giving a vital contribution to the centre with their efforts. Stephen, Clayton, Paul - you have our congratulations and our thanks for your work. Your awards are richly deserved.

On a much sadder note, however, we have to announce the death of another long service volunteer at Barnstondale Centre. John Osborne, who had also been at the centre for 12 years, died suddenly this week from a heart attack.

All at the centre were shocked and saddened by this news and we are sure that all who knew John through the centre - many of you will have spoken to him on the phone if not met him in person -  will feel the same. John Osborne was a familiar statuesque figure at Barnstondale almost every week for those 12 years, striding onto site twice a week to provide essential volunteering support. Not only will his practical contribution to the centre be missed, but also his personality and willingness to muck in.

John is survived by a brother and I am sure you will all join us in sending him our heartfelt condolences at this time.  He will be very sadly missed indeed.

For your many years of sterling service, John, we thank you.

Hopefully some of you will have already visited us elsewhere online, on our Flickr photostream or our YouTube channel, but now we’re spreading our wings even further!

We’re now officially launching ourselves out on Facebook today! You can click here to view our page and become a fan, or why not search Facebook for Barnstondale Centre and become our friend? We’ve already got a great group up there already so come on, the more the merrier, why not be our friend?

We’re not just going to be on Facebook, however. We’re also launching our MySpace page too, so if Facebook isn’t your thing, or you don’t want to leave behind all those MySpace friends, then you can find us on there too at www.myspace.com/barnstondale

Not enough social networking for you? Oh, alright then! You want some twitter too? You got it, except its twitter with a difference! Many of you who know Barnstondale Centre will also know how much of a feature the animals are, particularly Bess the Dog and the many squirrels that call the woods home. Well they want to have their say about Barnstondale too, so we’re letting them loose on Twitter! Follow @barnstondale on Twitter for a whole new way of viewing Barnstondale Centre…..

Wherever you make your home online, we’re really looking forward to seeing you there and being your friend!

The evening was a sumptuous affair in the historic surroundings of Aintree and with a delicious 3 course dinner to enjoy and new friends to make among the many charities attending the evening was already a great success before the awards were announced.

Once the awards were announced, however, we were absolutely delighted to be awarded a fantastic £2945, in order to improve access for those with mobility problems to areas of the Barnstondale site. With over £11,000 raised towards the work, the award on the night was all we needed to complete the work!

Barnstondale centre would like to thank all involved from Radio City, Barclaycard and Cash for Kids for running the evening and the wonderful award we received, enabling us to complete the access works and serve those in need.

We think this song  - written to the tune of “Amarillo” - is too good to keep to ourselves, so here it is for everyone to enjoy too! I’m sure you’ll agree its great!

Show us the way to Barnstondale. Its over the Wirral.

Through the tunnel we did travel. With our friends was very nice.

Sha-la-la-la-la-la-la repeats 3 times.

For our tea George cooked a BBQ.

Around the campfire we did sit.

As we waited for our Disco.

With our friends was very nice.

Sha-la-la-la-la-la-la repeats 3 times.

On our bunk beds we did sleep.

Squirrels through the glass did peep.

Altogether it was sweet.

With our friends was very nice.

Sha-la-la-la-la-la-la repeats 3 times.

Oh yes we love Norman Pannell.

It is worth all the travel.

And all the teachers are so cool.

Sha-la-la-la-la-la-la.

And all the teachers are so cool.

The path is now fully tarmaced and lined, not only making access easier and more pleasant, but also making the site more attractive we feel.

With BTCV on site again at the moment, there’l be more site improvements to post about soon.

With 3 days work done already and 2 more to go, the improvements to the access path to the legendary Barnstondale climbing wall are looking great!

The new wood linings will certainly add to the character of the woodland location of the climbing wall, as well as conserving it. Once the pilings are completed the path will be fully tarmaced, greatly improving access to the wall. We’ll bring you photos of that once its complete!

Speaking of conservation, the ongoing works by the BTCV volunteers are really starting to bear fruit.

You can see photos of the new (and very inviting) woodland dale path, river revetments and river access steps below.

The MUGA has already been a roaring success with our visitors and guests since it was opened and now its even better, allowing it to be used for even more exciting sporting and gaming endeavours. The line markings mean that visiting groups can now play football, basketball, mini tennis, netball and volleyball. Great fun for everyone!

Have a look at the before and after shots….what was already a great facility is now even better!