HISTORY

In the summer of 2022, The Roseland Centre Charity successfully raised funds to buy the former Cornwall Council Outdoor Activity and Education Centre in the village of St. Just-in-Roseland, Cornwall.

Located on Cornwall’s scenic Roseland Peninsula, in the village of St. Just-in-Roseland, Cornwall, this former Victorian Methodist School was for many years successfully run as Cornwall Outdoors and was used by organisations such as the Royal Yachting Association, (RYA), British Canoeing, (now PaddleUK), as well as local and out of County schools, groups and individuals from all backgrounds, abilities and needs. It was well known as the place where primary school groups from around Cornwall and the wider areas, and even Continental Europe, came to engage in safe, enjoyable outdoor learning and activity such as learning to kayak, canoe, and sail, as well as being challenged by orienteering and cohesive experiences in the beautiful Cornish countryside.

As an important part of St. Just-in-Roseland heritage, the building started life in 1893 and was the local Methodist school up until the late 1940’s. Some local residents still remember it fondly as the place where they sat at their desk in their first-ever classroom.

The site has seen extensive refurbishment since its purchase by The Roseland Centre Charity, who fundraised to achieve this and continued to raise donations throughout Phase2. The refurbishment was very complex and time specific with local trades working hard to problem solve the various issues and curveballs that a Victorian build can give.

A new additional, accessible wet room was created within the 1970 accommodation block, new internal walls were fitted and boarded out within the two 1893 main rooms, bat surveys were completed, a whole new ceiling was discovered, as was a perfectly intact Victorian tiled floor.

The whole inside of the Centre was decorated with new carpet squares and hard wearing flooring going down throughout. Again local trades were employed as funding was eventually successful. Triple glazed windows were installed within the main dorms and larger, older rooms as was some effective and sustainable lighting. 

After a long period researching and even testing various products, the bunks were successfully purchased. They are nothing short of bomb-proof! Possibly the best on the market, (at this level of industry). The company who creates and supplies our bunks are UK based and are proud to create and quality check all stages of production from the initial design all the way to dispatch.

Eventually we crafted our commercial kitchen with some quality, robust facilities, gaining a Food Hygiene Rating of 5 just before the Summer, 2024.

There is still an incredible amount to develop and improve. We officially, commercially opened on June 1st, 2024, by holding an open day with bouncy castle, a great selection of food, live music and were very lucky to welcome Sam Galsworthy of Trewithen Estate and Toby Ashworth of The Nare Hotel to officially cut the ribbon!

Since then it has been onwards and upwards! We have been working extremely hard to develop and deliver on and offsite activities, book in groups, schools and other charities, who have been making the most of our outdoor education based residentials and location. We have also been reaching out Countywide to local community groups to support various needs and ideas by hiring out room space for local events and training, involving industry specialists, companies and Colleges and above all have consistently upheld the importance of outdoor learning and adventurous, explorative play. We dearly hope we have managed to capture the heritage and hold on to the historic features that matter. We also feel extremely proud and humbled by the whole “zero to hero” experience and express HUGE endless thanks to everyone who has been involved in the project so far. Our Charity and its success is down to the people – it always will be!