Blackwell Adventure
Charity 1121161
Overview
Summary
Blackwell Adventure appears to be a place-based outdoor-learning provider whose charitable role is enabled by operating two substantial activity centres rather than by delivering a single programme. Its Scout association heritage remains central, but it uses the same facilities and instructional capacity across youth groups, schools, colleges, adults and families. This suggests a blended model in which commercial and broader public bookings may help sustain an educational and youth-development mission, although the balance between these audiences is not evidenced.
Operational geography
Coverage: National
Operational areas:
Evidence and reasoning
Supporting evidence
Remaining uncertainties
- Direct evidence shows that Blackwell Adventure delivers outdoor learning, camping, residential and activity services from two named centres: Blackwell Court and Pikes Pool. The evidence reviewed does not identify a centre within the supplied Birmingham ward/place list.
- The organisation’s official website states that visitors come from across the country. This indicates the reach of its fixed-site services to users nationally, rather than evidence of delivery locations across England.
- The organisation has a material historic and ownership connection to Birmingham Scouts: it says it was established by Birmingham Scouts and is owned by the Scout Association County of Birmingham. This supports a Birmingham institutional connection, but does not evidence a current operational site, outreach programme or service delivery point within a Birmingham ward.
- There is no direct evidence in the reviewed material that Blackwell Adventure currently delivers activities at schools, community venues or other locations within Birmingham. Birmingham schools, Scouts or other groups may use its centres, but beneficiary origin alone is not evidence of operation in a Birmingham area.
Additional evidence needed
- A current delivery or bookings dataset showing Birmingham-based schools, youth groups or organisations served, and whether any activities are delivered at their Birmingham premises rather than at Blackwell Adventure’s centres.
- Current partnership or service agreements with Scout Association County of Birmingham, Birmingham schools, Birmingham City Council or other Birmingham-based bodies that specify delivery locations or geographically targeted provision.
- A current annual report or impact report with a breakdown of participant origin, commissioned programmes and any off-site activity delivery.
Areas of work
- Education/training
- Recreation
Who they help
- Children/young People
- Other Charities Or Voluntary Bodies
How they help
- Provides Buildings/facilities/open Space
- Provides Human Resources
- Provides Services
Discoveries involving this organisation
The Atlas has not published any Discoveries involving this organisation yet.
Observations
A shared physical platform for multiple civic audiences
The available evidence suggests that Blackwell Adventure’s distinctive asset is its ability to repurpose the same sites, accommodation and activity infrastructure for several audiences. It appears less like a narrowly targeted youth charity and more like a facilities-led organisation that creates different forms of learning, recreation and group development from a common platform.
Why it matters
This helps explain both its reach and its potential resilience: partnerships may be possible not only around outdoor education, but also around access to safe residential space, group facilitation and inclusive activity provision.
Show evidence
“The organisation operates Blackwell Court and Pikes Pool, each with over 50 acres of outdoor space.”
Source:Organisation“It offers activities and accommodation for Scouts, Guides, schools, colleges, corporate teams, friends and families.”
Source:Organisation“It provides buildings, facilities, open space, human resources and services.”
Source:Charity Commission
Scout heritage is an anchor, not the whole operating identity
Scout and Guide camping appears to provide Blackwell Adventure with a durable institutional identity and relationship base, while the organisation has broadened beyond that constituency. Its current role may therefore involve translating an established voluntary-youth infrastructure into a wider regional outdoor-learning resource.
Why it matters
This distinction is useful for prospective partners: the organisation may bring trusted youth-sector experience while also being accessible to schools and other groups outside Scouting.
Show evidence
“The centres have been owned by the Birmingham Scout Association for over 50 years.”
Source:Organisation“Scout and Guide camping is described as being at the heart of the organisation’s work.”
Source:Organisation“Activities are provided for Scouts, Girl Guides, other voluntary and statutory youth groups, schools, colleges and adults.”
Source:Charity Commission
Inclusion is present in the mission but weakly evidenced in delivery
The charity’s objects make provision for people affected by disability, financial hardship or social circumstances, and one testimonial refers to adjustments for children with complex SEND needs. However, the available evidence does not show whether accessible or subsidised provision is systematic, funded or widely used.
Why it matters
This is a potentially important opportunity: Blackwell Adventure may already hold practical inclusive-delivery capability, but partners cannot yet assess its scale or identify which communities are benefiting.
Show evidence
“The charity objects include providing or assisting facilities for people in need because of youth, age, infirmity, disability, financial hardship or social circumstances.”
Source:Charity Commission“A school-group testimonial reports appropriate adjustments for KS1 children with complex SEND needs.”
Source:Organisation
- The proportion of activity delivered to charitable beneficiaries compared with corporate, family and other paid users is unknown.
- There is no evidence of geographic reach beyond the stated West Midlands benefit area, referral relationships or priority communities.
- The scale, consistency and cost of accessible or subsidised provision are unclear.
Remaining uncertainties
- Annual reports or impact data showing participant numbers, audience mix, repeat use, demographics and outcomes.
- Information on pricing, bursaries, accessibility policies and partnerships with schools, youth services, disability organisations or community groups.
Additional evidence needed
Charity Commission profile
Activities
PROVIDE RESIDENTIAL AND OUTDOOR ADVENTURE ACTIVITIES FOR SCOUTS, GIRL GUIDES AND OTHER YOUTH GROUPS BOTH VOLUNTARY AND STATUTORY. PROVIDE SIMILAR ACTIVITIES TO SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES WITHIN THE NATIONAL CURRICULUM AND PROVIDE TEAM BUILDING ACTIVITIES TO ADULTS.
Charity objects
3.1) TO ADVANCE THE EDUCATION OF THE PUBLIC, INCLUDING CHILDREN YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULTS, IN THE SUBJECT OF OUTDOOR AND INDOOR ADVENTURE ACTIVITIES. 3.2) TO PROMOTE THE DEVELOPMENT OF YOUNG PEOPLE IN ACHIEVING THEIR FULL PHYSICAL, INTELLECTUAL, SOCIAL AND SPIRITUAL POTENTIAL, AS INDIVIDUALS, AS RESPONSIBLE CITIZENS AND AS MEMBERS OF THEIR LOCAL, NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITIES. 3.3) TO PROVIDE OR ASSIST IN THE PROVISION OF FACILITIES (WORLD WIDE) IN THE INTERESTS OF SOCIAL WELFARE FOR RECREATION OR OTHER LEISURE TIME OCCUPATION OF INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE NEED OF SUCH FACILITIES BY REASON OF THEIR YOUTH, AGE INFIRMITY OR DISABILITY, FINANCIAL HARDSHIP OR SOCIAL CIRCUMSTANCES WITH THE OBJECT OF IMPROVING THEIR CONDITIONS OF LIFE. THE MAIN AREA OF BENEFIT IS THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF THE WEST MIDLANDS.