South Staffordshire outdoor learning centre forced to close as neighbouring charity offers reassurance to supporters
The closure of an outdoor learning and residential centre in South Staffordshire has prompted a message from a neighbouring charity about its own status to reassure supporters.
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The Kingswood Trust has informed supporters of the charity that it is still open and running after finding there had been some confusion following the closure of Kingswood Inspiring Learning, at Kingswood near Albrighton.
Kingswood Inspiring Learning, which was an outdoor residential learning centre, closed with immediate effect on January 17 after parent company The Inspiring Learning Group went into administration.
It was one of seven residential sites across the country to close after administrators from Teneo Financial Advisory Limited were called in, with people who had booked places at Kingswood offered a place at one of three other residential sites.
The message from the administrators read: "Daniel Smith and Julian Heathcote of Teneo Financial Advisory Limited were appointed Joint Administrators of Kingswood Learning and Leisure Group Limited, Graduation Bidco Limited, Inspiring Learning (Holdings) Limited, Inspiring Learning Limited and Kingswood Colomendy Limited (together 'the Companies') on January 17.
"Immediately following the appointment, the Joint Administrators completed a sale of three of the Companies’ residential sites (Dearne Valley, Grosvenor Hall and Overstrand) to PGL Beyond ('PGL') and one residential site (North Devon) to Halsbury Travel Group.
"Unfortunately, the Companies’ remaining residential sites (Staffordshire, Dukeshouse Wood, Peak Venture, Green Park, Colomendy, West Runton and the Isle of Wight) have ceased trading and are closed with immediate effect.
"As part of the sale to PGL, PGL has agreed to offer an alternative booking at PGL sites to customers who had bookings at closed sites.
"PGL will accept bookings from impacted customers at a price previously agreed with the Companies and will recognise any monies previously paid to the Companies.
"The Companies and PGL are in the process of contacting all customers who have a confirmed or a provisional booking for 2025.
"For further information please go to www.pglbeyond.com/kingswood-support."
Following the closure of the Inspiring Learning centre, the Kingswood Trust, which is a charity, forest school and nature centre, released a message to reassure patrons and supporters and also let people know that the charity was not related to the recently closed centre.
A spokeswoman for Kingswood Trust said: "You may have heard that Kingswood Inspiring Learning has gone into administration.
"This has caused some confusion about which centre near Wolverhampton has closed as it is not The Kingswood Trust.
"We are an independent charity and have no link or relationship with the company, situated near our site at the end of Barn Lane."
Rachel Wells, Kingswood Trust headteacher and charity manager said: “We are very sorry to hear this news.
"It will be a very difficult time for our neighbours and a huge blow to all concerned, especially children, schools and groups who were due to visit.
"We have been sending messages out by way of a reassurance that Kingswood Trust is fine - ‘business as usual'.”
