About Us

In the summer of 2022 The Roseland Centre charity successfully raised funds to buy the former Cornwall Council outdoor activity and education Centre in the village of St. Just-in-Roseland.

Located on Cornwall's scenic Roseland Peninsula, in the village of St. Just-in-Roseland, this former Methodist School was for many years successfully run as Cornwall Outdoors Activity and Education Centre and was used by organisations such as the Royal Yachting Association, (RYA), as well as local and out of County schools. It was well known as the place where primary school groups from around Cornwall and the wider areas and even Europe came to have safe, enjoyable, fun whilst learning to kayak, canoe, and sail, as well as being challenged by orienteering and camping trips in our beautiful countryside.

We want to continue in this tradition, offering children and young adults' residential accommodation with access to classes, wellbeing support, 1:1 mentoring, parent and baby yoga space, specialist activity for SEN groups and outdoor soft/hard skill training with particular emphasis on water-based activities which will initially be organised by contracted local outdoor activity providers. We couldn’t have a better location: The St. Just Creek is ideally suited for sailing and all kinds of paddle sport experiences, whilst nearby Summers Beach is one of the best and most scenic places in the area to learn how to paddleboard. There are also opportunities for sea kayaking and windsurfing, as well as land-based activities including hiking, camping, bush craft and orienteering.

We plan to operate 365 days a year but specifically throughout the Autumn/Winter months we plan to offer a similar accommodation model to the YHA supporting and providing for local community events, training organisations and youth groups/out of school programs that are needing outdoor classrooms/life skill-based accreditation. We currently have started community facilities such as a Permaculture Garden for volunteer engagement and support. We plan to integrate a Community Food Larder, even a volunteer-run village shop.

An important part of St. Just-in-Roseland heritage, the building started life in 1893 and was the local Methodist school until the late 1940s. Some local residents remember it fondly as the place where they sat at their desk in their first-ever classroom.

Youth Residentials

The Roseland Centre is the perfect place to host a residential course for children to adults. With a capacity for 34 staying on site in comfortable bunkhouse, dormitory style bedrooms with showers and amenities, a fully-equipped kitchen, fully accessible facilities, green space and communal rooms, from early 2024 we aim for commercial business.

We will provide schools and youth groups with an opportunity to have an outdoor activity and educational experience with us here on the Roseland Peninsula. There will be on and off-site activities available, with the river Fal, local beaches and surrounding AONB countryside within walking distance.

The Roseland Peninsula is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, (AONB). We want to ensure that young people and adults, whether from the Roseland, Cornwall, or elsewhere in the UK, can come and visit this inspiring place, learn new skills through tailored classes and sessions, make friends, and explore all that the location has to offer.

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Sustainability

As an environmentally-aware Centre, the revamped building will be a beacon of sustainability on the Roseland, using renewables in its design and providing ecologically sensitive accommodation.

Cornwall is currently at the forefront of environmental and sustainability response with the Council's Action Plan having the stated aim of regional carbon neutrality by 2030. Our plans support this goal. Even before any development, the building will offer a community space for raising awareness on important environmental issues such as climate change and biodiversity.

We wish to encourage education through nature, encouraging children and adults of all ages to live differently, providing an ecological and environmentally friendly context to develop and expand their knowledge. This would be in accordance with the recently launched Department for Education’s Sustainability and Climate Change strategy to establish the UK as a world leader in sustainability and climate change education bu 2030.

Community

We’re redefining what a Community Hub means in Cornwall.

We’re putting sustainability, environment and community at the heart of everything we do. We also see the Centre as a resource for educational, voluntary and community groups and as a place to promote supportive activities, action and networks for both young and old, so vital in these challenging times.

Although everyone will be welcome at The Roseland Centre, and we will strive to be accessible to all, specific attention will be provided for local schools from around Cornwall and the UK. The aim is to provide an opportunity for groups of children or young adults with a residential outdoor activity journey and educational experience here at the Roseland Centre extending to a robust bursary scheme to support disadvantaged young people out of school and young adults who are classed as ‘not in education or training’ with a range of opportunities including transferrable LIFE Skills, academic accreditation and employability skills.

The project will ensure that there is direct local community impact in promoting well-being to local children and adults through improved community access to a range of outdoor learning/activities, wellbeing support, volunteering opportunities, affordable training potential, cultural experiences and a hub of bespoke possibilities through networking and Countywide contacts.

Support Us

Support The Roseland Centre and change lives through outdoor activity and education in Cornwall.

We are now raising funds to enable us to refurbish the site and buildings, aiming to re-open for business in Early 2024.

With the support of local business partners and other sources of funds we aim to develop scholarship opportunities to offer training, mentoring, support and bursaries to enable disadvantaged children & young adults to access our facilities.

We are seeking volunteers to help us in this enterprise so please do get in touch and see our Latest News below.

Please donate through our Crowdfunder page or alternatively via PayPal.

Latest News

Appointments

Paul Lakeman, March 2023, Centre Manager and Mandy Hiscock, September 2023, Deputy Centre Manager have been appointed and have hit the ground running. The implementaion of policies and procedures and general administration for receiving our residential visitors alongside the trustees to maintain pace for the building works. Our new logo is now ready and will be uploaded to our internet presence, this was designed by a pupil at the local secondary school and he has been presented with a prize. This will also feature on our new workwear and safeguard ready badges and lanyards.

Fundraising is still ongoing to ensure we can open on time, if you would like to donate please go to our crowdfunder site. www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/the-roseland-centre

Building work begins

Local building company A&M Construction have begun the first refurbishment stage. We are hoping to progress quickly and be able to open for business over the summer holidays. Watch this space and get in touch for all enquiries!

Tree surgery at The Roseland Centre

We have had two trees trimmed at the front of the property, following advice from a professional Tree Surveyor. Local tree surgeons have also completed their work at the back of the property, removing overgrown connifers, with consideration of our neighbours. We will also be sure to preserve the Peace Tree.

Warm Hubs

The Roseland Centre (TRC) has been working with the St Just-in-Roseland Institute to offer Warmth Hubs every Monday between 1-4pm throughout February and March, providing warmth, tea, cakes and hot soup, good company, fun and games. These sessions are open to everybody and are free, with support from Volunteer Cornwall and our committee members.

Centre Manager appointment

The charity committee had a very successful interview day in Februrary with some brilliant candidates and we are happy to announce we have found our new centre manager. He will be starting very soon and we are so excited for him to start this incredibly exciting and important role in the future of The Roseland Centre. We look forward to introducing him to you!

Logo Competition at The Roseland Academy

The winner of our Logo Competition at The Roseland Academy is Carne Michell, 12 years old. Carne's logo features an aerial view of colourful canoes and boats, the beach and 'TRC' written in pebbles. The judges had a tough decision to make as the quality of the entries was extremely high. Carne should be extremely proud of this achievement. Thank you to all the pupils at The Roseland Academy who entered, they were all fantastic! We will be using this logo to work with a local graphic designer to create The Roseland Centre's official logo. Watch this space!

Community garden

We have started the practical and planning side of the new permaculture community garden at TRC. We are looking for volunteers and tool donations. Please get in touch if you can help.

Site refurbishment

The site team are busy organising the reconnection of services, tree surgery, environmental surveys and project management of Phase 2, with an aim to be re-open in Summer 2023. In several years' time, our planned Phase 3 will be an exciting modern development of the property using our sustainability strategy and architect's plans.

The Charity Committee