Outdoor education charity enters administration

A charity that owns a hall and grounds has entered administration following financial difficulties.

Whitwell Hall Country Centre in north Norfolk has used its 40 acres of grounds to provide children with residential, outdoor education experiences since 1938.

John McKean, the centre's manager, said staff had been "badly let down by trustees".

The charity's trustees said the funds raised by bookings were no longer covering essential outgoings such as wages and insurance.

As well as hosting schools, the charity organised community transport for people living in the Reepham, Norfolk, and social activities for older people in the community.

Mr McKean, who remains employed by the charity and stays on site to care for the building, said the arrival of administrators was a "huge shock".

"It's been my life and place of work and home for 29 years," he said.

"I was married here, I've brought up my own two children here.

"It's been my home, Norfolk's become my home."

Three of the charity's four staff had recently been made redundant, he added, and the team's wages had not been paid since August.

He confirmed that no schools that booked to visit Whitwell Hall in 2026 had paid deposits, so would not be financially impacted by its closure.

He added he was aware of the charity being £40,000 in debt.

In a statement, the charity's trustees said they sought professional advice when it became clear the income from groups using the centre was not meeting expenditure.

"There were no funds to renew the insurance for the company and this, potentially, would have put lives at risk," the statement said.

"We are of the opinion that the Covid lockdown, the recent economic climate and the increasing pressures on school staff and the curriculum, have been the major contributory factors in fewer bookings, and bears no reflection on the hard working and committed staff at Whitwell."

Administrators Parker Andrews said the charity was cash-flow insolvent and as a result has ceased trading immediately.

Mr McKean said the hall and its grounds were worth in the region of £2m and that if it was sold the proceeds would be shared by charities with a similar ethos as Whitwell Hall Country Centre.

This was confirmed by the trustees who said they were "deeply saddened" by the site's closure.

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