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Nell Bank moves a step closer to operating independently
The partnership between Bradford Council and the Nell Bank Queen's Silver Jubilee Centre Trust, which is responsible for the Nell Bank Centre, is due to change from April 2020.
The centre, based on Denton Road in Ilkley, has signed an agreement with the Council with the intention of operating as a new, fully independent charitable organisation, The Nell Bank Charitable Trust.
The agreement allows the Nell Bank Charitable Trust to exercise an option, once full consultation and due diligence is satisfactorily completed, to transfer all operations and responsibility to the new charity.
The Council and the charity have been working together for several years to secure the future of Nell Bank, which with this agreement is now clear and will ensure the centre’s provision is protected for the longer term.
Nell Bank is an outdoor education centre in Ilkley on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales. It provides a magical day and residential experience for over 20,000 children a year, with accessible facilities for all, including those with additional needs. Nell Bank’s objectives, when originally set up 40 years ago, were to focus on the children of Bradford, children of all abilities, ethnicities and socio economic backgrounds, an ethos the Council and the Nell Bank Charitable Trust believe in passionately.
Councillor Imran Khan, portfolio holder for education, employment and skills, said: “Reaching this agreement is about looking forward to see what Nell Bank can do as an independent organisation. The core function of the Trust will remain the same: to provide an outstanding experience and learning environment for children. Bradford Council is indebted to all those involved in the new charity and wishes it well in this vital endeavour so that it can flourish and continue to deliver brilliant education for young people.”
Richard Bourdon, Chair of the Nell Bank Charitable Trust said “Nell Bank is a hugely valuable resource which does great work with so many children. I am very proud to be working with an incredible group of like-minded volunteers to secure the centre's future. Taking on this operation is a significant challenge but one I feel, with the support of the trustees and our growing community of friends, donors and volunteers, can successfully be achieved. We will continue to work hard to ensure the centre is sustainable and provides opportunities for many more generations of children, helping them to develop a love and respect for the outdoors and their local environment.”