AN outdoor education centre which helps people build confidence and experience the countryside has been saved through a grant provided by the Yorkshire Dales Millenium Trust.

The centre, Low Mill Outdoor Centre in Askrigg, is one of the first organisations to receive a special grant from the Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust’s Coronavirus Community Fund.

Managers say the support will help to ensure the outdoor education centre survives the current crisis which has meant they were unable to open their doors and lost all income. Low Mill Outdoor Centre is dedicated to helping people develop through outdoor adventure and learning. It's been open since 1976 offering specially tailored courses particularly working with nine to 25 year olds.

Terry Hailwood from Low Mill said: "We have been desperately trying to react to the current crisis and support staff and customers, while safeguarding the charity that will be so deeply needed in the months and years to come when communities start to re-connect and re-build.

"Following government guidelines, we are temporarily closed and that has put a major stress on us. The centre continues to consume overhead costs with no income to support it, as schools, youth and social groups are closed.

"The grant from Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust will allow us to cover running costs and the overheads of the residential centre. It also means we will be in a strong position to carry on delivering outdoor education to young people after this crisis.

"The need for personal development, robustness and resilience in young people will be needed more than ever after the return to the new normal."

The Coronavirus Community Fund is run in partnership by YDMT and Two Ridings Community Foundation offering grants of up to £2,000 for groups across Craven and Richmondshire.

Extra funds have been earmarked to concentrate on helping people and groups get through the crisis and to deal with emergency issues as they are being raised.

Priority is being given to groups supporting those who are most vulnerable including older people, people with long term health conditions, people with mental health difficulties, people affected by homelessness and other at risk groups.

Michaela Brennan, project officer at the Trust said: "We’re really pleased to have been able to expand our existing grants programme to help those providing vital services to the community at this time. Supporting organisations like Low Mill is a core part of the programme. They are a hub in the community, are a local employer and offer Askrigg and beyond an important service."

Applications for the grants are open at the current time with decisions made on a weekly basis for groups and organisations

For more information contact Michaela on 015242 51002, email michaela.brennan@ydmt.org or visit ydmt.org where forms and application notes can be found.