From little acorns: move to bigger HQ for growing outdoors specialist
Devon’s leading alternative outdoors-based educational provider has moved to new headquarters in Crediton after outgrowing its former base.
Previously at Exeter’s Basepoint Business Centre, The Outdoors Group purchased the former health centre Western Lodge earlier this year as staff numbers swelled to over 100.
The property is a single storey former health centre and provides 2,840 sq ft of internal space. The site was deemed ideal partly because of the grounds that came with the building, with 1.126 acres available for a new venture.
Founder and Director Shevek Pring said: “Basepoint was a brilliant option for us but with our rapid growth it was apparent that we needed a larger, more permanent home. Western Lodge became available at exactly the right time, and we were able to refurbish it as offices just in time for the new school year.
“We feel it’s a really positive use of the disused health centre, bringing new life with a business that works to give young people access to the many benefits of learning outdoors.”
Co-founder Tom Lowday added: “It also sits well with our environmental ethos, as purchasing rather than renting means we can sensibly undertake eco-renovations and make improvements to the building, which will ultimately help us to meet our goal of The Outdoors Group becoming carbon negative by 2030.”
The new location houses the group’s core services, with 30 office-based team members working from a larger open plan area plus meeting rooms and a separate directors office. It is ideal for the preferred collaborative way of working whilst providing some quiet break out areas when needed.
One of the big draws were the grounds which include woodland, ideal for a new kindergarten to be opened in April 2022. This will open to pre-schoolers aged 1 to 5, and in keeping with the ethos of the group, will provide plenty of opportunities for outdoor play and learning.
2021 marks the tenth anniversary for the group, which offers a variety of outdoor-based activities across Devon including forest schools; special schools; a specialist learning programme for those struggling in mainstream education; training for teachers, forest school leaders and school volunteers; toddler groups and holiday clubs plus yoga and rewilding experience weekends.
