News

Chasewater’s Floating Litter Pick

ENVIRONMENTALLY-conscious staff from a Midlands outdoor activity centre recently took to the water for a floating litter pick to help protect local wildlife and improve the environment.

Team members from Chasewater Activity Centre, part of Peak, set off in Bell Boats to collect rubbish around the lake – a Site of Special Scientific Interest – which could not be reached from footpaths.

The team gathered no fewer than six full bags of rubbish as well as a tyre which had been discarded. Removing them from the water helps protect the birds and wildlife that make Chasewater their home including Red Winged Clovers, swans and deer.

Chasewater Activity Centre offers a range of activities on both land and water. It offers residential and day activity courses for all types of groups including schools, Scouts and Brownies and corporate gatherings.

Centre Manager Kait Bradley said: “It’s really important to us at Peak that we do all we can to protect and enhance the environment. While the lake is owned by the local council and is open to the public to use, we use part of it for our range of on-water activities at the Centre and we wanted to make sure we were doing our bit for the local wildlife and to protect the lake.

“We see so much wildlife both on and around the lake and we very much wanted to make sure we were making the environment as safe as possible for them in whatever way we could.”

Matt’s EPIC Everest Journey

SKILLS gained while working in a range of activity centres came in very useful when Matt Collins undertook the challenge of a lifetime recently.

Matt, who is Head of Peak Activity Centres, was one of a group of adult Scouts who trekked to Everest Base Camp as part of their Queen’s Scout Award and Peak is an organisation which operates a number of adventurous activity centres throughout England.

Peak runs seven activity centres across England where activities include water sports, climbing, abseiling, team building challenges and orienteering – many of which Matt was able to put to good use on his journey. He even made sure he took part of “Peak” with him to the most famous peak on Earth too!

 He said: “Peak are now a part of Keys Group whose mottos are ‘make every day EPIC’ and ‘Education through Adventure’, both of which were themes I kept with me on this journey!

“Resilience, teamwork, being able to adapt to change, dealing with the unexpected and how to embrace adventure are the things Peak activity centres hopes people take from their time spent with us. And those all certainly proved to be very useful when I was in Nepal! Nothing went to plan right from the start, bad weather hampered flights so we had to take a two day – and very uncomfortable – jeep ride for the first stage of our journey once we had arrived in Kathmandu.

“Some of our party were affected by altitude sickness, which can be very dangerous, so they had to be taken to a lower altitude by helicopter.

“But for all the challenges and changes, the whole thing was simply amazing and seeing Everest was just staggering. The people we met along the trail were so friendly and welcoming. We had taken little packs of colouring pencils for the children and I took a little part of Peak along too in the form of some of our gripping gloves which are used for climbing in our centres.

“So, there’s a part of Peak still there on probably the best known ‘peak’ in the world. And the children were so excited to have them, it was lovely to see.

“After the trek, it was snowing when we arrived at Base Camp. The feeling of accomplishment and excitement was phenomenal. But the last 100 metres felt like running a marathon! In total we walked 18 days and the whole journey took 25 days. What an experience it was.”

Matt now has set his sights on continuing to live Peak’s motto of “make every day an adventure” with his next challenge, tackling an 8000m peak.

He added: “It was a true adventure. There was a different challenge every day and we had to adapt and keep going to achieve our goal. Everything that Peak stands for in one adventure!”

Introducing our new Peak Values

It’s been a really exciting time recently as our organisation has grown and evolved. A result of this growth means that Peak now forms part of Keys Group.

Keys Group is now the home of Accomplish, Keys, and Peak who all share the same core goal of doing the best for the people we support. With this shared goal in mind, we have introduced a new set of values that really encompass what it is we as a group believe in and stand for.

Going forwards we will all share the EPIC values currently held by Keys. The EPIC values are simple, clear and powerful.

Excellence – Accountable and intent to achieve the best in all that we do. Challenging ourselves to the highest standard of learning, development and performance.

Passion – Committed and ambitious in heart and mind. Delivering the best outcomes for the people we support.

Integrity – Working honestly and transparently. Sharing our results and learnings.

Caring – Showing compassion and empathy. Placing the people we support at the center of all we do and taking their feelings and wishes into account.

Our new aligned values will help us become even stronger and empower us to continue to do all we can for the people we support and the people we work with. The values are a foundation for us to build the best possible care and support, the best possible education and the best possible place to work.

To learn more watch our new values video here!

Queen Elizabeth, 1926 – 2022

Everyone across Peak would like to express their deep sadness on the passing of Her Majesty The Queen. Our team members across England and Wales are united with the rest of the UK in our grief at this terribly sad news.

Queen Elizabeth II led our country with unflinching devotion to duty for more than 70 years and we will remain forever indebted to her for her service.

We wish to extend our deepest condolences and sympathy to the family of Her Majesty. May she rest in peace.

5 Reasons why Indoor Climbing Rocks

THINKING about learning to climb?

If you are looking to challenge yourself and your fitness regime then get into rock climbing; a great way to build strength and endurance.
This doesn’t mean you have to channel your inner Stallone and scale a craggy peak.
Now you can learn to climb in the relative comfort and safety of an indoor climbing centre near you.
There are plenty of reasons for climbing indoors rather than out, because clambering up a wet cliff on a Saturday afternoon, avoiding hypothermia, avalanches and hazardous terrain is probably NOT your best idea.
On a serious note, there are plenty of benefits in learning to climb, both indoors and out.  Check out our Introduction to Outdoor Climbing for more information.

Appealing to a range of ages and abilities, rock climbing has evolved into an indoor sport that is accessible to the masses.

WHAT does climbing do for your body?

Indoor rock climbing offers the same health benefits as a good work out at the gym! Using multiple muscle groups in both the upper and lower areas of your body, this workout will definitely get your heart racing.
Burn through those calories! Rock climbing is pure cardio, flaming between 8 and 10 calories per minute.
Climbing strengthens muscles while having a really low impact on joints, appealing immediately to those who don’t want to pound the pavements, preferring to preserve their knees.
You will find that your strength and grip will markedly improve the more you practice.

5 Reasons why indoor climbing rocks

#1 Safety First
Come forward and step into your harness! Your climbing harness will be your new best friend, ensuring that you are safely secured as you enjoy your climb and descent. With indoor climbing, its safety first, ensuring the perfect environment for noobs to learn.

Top tip: Wear comfortable clothes that you can really move and stretch in.

#2 Any Weather
Come rain, shine, ice, snow and any other weather condition you can name; indoor climbing is accessible all year round. The indoor climb allows you to test your vertical limits no matter what the weather has planned.

#3 Social
Enjoy the support of experienced instructors and likeminded individuals who are learning the ropes as well as you. A great place to make new and lasting friendships, rock climbing is renowned for being a tight knit sport. Sharing wall space and controlling the rope for each other are all great ways to bond.

#4 Child Friendly
It’s not just adults who can ascend the wall, kids can too! Climbing enables children to discover problem-solving skills and refine coordination like no other activity.
Literally thinking on their feet, children will need to quickly figure out the best position for their hands to rescue them from tricky situations.
Get them involved with a climbing course specifically designed for younger children working towards their first climbing award. With climbing clubs running through most school holidays, this is a great way to keep kids engaged and active all year round.

#5 Never Boring
With a variety of walls available in each facility; from beginner to overhanging advanced, new moves to learn, techniques to improve, you can say goodbye to your repetitive weekend gym class. Adrenaline is a free perk of climbing so enjoy the rush!

Wondering how to try indoor climbing? We won’t leave you on a cliffhanger… head to Audley Climbing Centre.  From taster to fully coached, you can find the session that fits.

The guys down at Audley are committed to championing high-quality, indoor learning from dedicated instructors. Accredited to deliver both NIMBAS (National Indoor Bouldering Award Scheme) and NICAS (National Indoor Climbing Award Scheme) courses, you are in experienced hands.

Chasewater Activity Centre now open for business with new School Holiday Clubs in Burntwood!

Peak are excited to announce they are now open for business with their first School Holiday Programmes at Chasewater Activity Centre.

Peak recently took over the management of the site and have been busy planning activities for the year ahead.

The School Holiday Programmes provide a fantastic experience for children aged 7-16, and also provide great value childcare for working parents over the school holidays.  They start when the schools break up for 6 weeks of summer fun from 19^th July.

Peak Managing Director Paul Ball said “We are delighted to be able to offer the School Holiday Programmes at Chasewater. These are great fun, really popular with children, and we have already sold out for the summer at all of our other activity centres! They provide children with the things our company is all about.  Education through Adventure. Participants get to experience everything from climbing, archery, team building activities, bushcraft and more!  The week also provides great value childcare for parents as they juggle work and kids.  Parents can drop the kids off at 8.30am, pick them up at 5.30pm, all for £180 for five days of adventure. Just £36 a day!”

Peak have leased Chasewater Activity Centre from Staffordshire County Council and will be opening the new site from the Summer Holiday for leisure and group bookings. They also run 4 independent schools, with Peak Education students already using the site.

The site has great historic and scientific interest, abundant wildlife, and fantastic activities.  Chasewater is also the perfect place for a brilliant school residential, with c90 beds and will be available for residentials from 2022.  The centre is an all-year-round venue, offering an extensive range of both water and land-based activities.

Paul continued “Chasewater Activity Centre is a great opportunity for Peak. The new site will work very well with all other aspects of our existing business and complements the growth of our existing customer base which includes our very own Peak students, students, and teachers from local and national schools as well as corporate clients alongside our extensive range of leisure clients. The business is all about building a community. We want to work with existing site users, but also help grow participation at the site through holiday clubs, school and youth groups and corporate team building adventures. The site will continue to offer a wealth of fun activities such as Kayaking, Climbing, Bush Craft, Archery, Mountain Biking, DofE and more.”

Where is it?

The site is based on the shores of Chasewater, Chasewater Activity Centre, Pool Lane, Burntwood, Staffordshire, WS7 3QY.

To find out more and book head to our centre page & booking site today! 🙂