'New lease of life': Burnley FC stars reopen Whitehough Outdoor Centre

The Mayor of Pendle, Cllr David Whalley (far left), with Burnley players (back row, from left) Chris Wood, Jack Cork, and Adam Legzdins.

After taking a tour of the entire facility, which was leased, refurbished, and reopened to local communities by BFCitC late last year having been mothballed two years earlier by council chiefs due to austerity measures, the players and the Mayor, Councillor David Whalley, revealed a plaque that officially marked Whitehough’s reopening.

Cork, Wood, and Legzdins also met children from local primary schools Castercliff Primary Academy and Pendle Primary Academy, who were enjoying activities at Whitehough with BFCitC’s outdoor education providers, Outdoor Elements.

“It’s been brilliant to come up to Whitehough today and check out all the work BFCitC have done to breathe new life into this superb facility," said midfielder Jack Cork. “We’ve really enjoyed getting stuck into the activities so I’m sure this will be so valuable to countless numbers of local young people.”

Getting involved: (from left) Chris Wood, Jack Cork, and Adam Legzdins at the reopened Whitehough.

Councillor David Whalley, the Mayor of Pendle, added: “I feel very privileged to open the new Whitehough Outdoor Centre, which has a new lease of life thanks to BFCitC. Pendle Council is pleased to support their efforts and help promote the new centre far and wide.

“I was one of the generations of Pendle schoolchildren who stayed at Whitehough and it was a great experience," the Mayor added of the 22-acre site. "Whitehough has had a big positive effect on people in the Pendle area and beyond and it’s fantastic that it can continue to do so. Long may Whitehough continue."

Based up in the beautiful Pendle countryside, Whitehough can sleep up to 90 people, accommodating both small and large groups. The facility includes two classrooms, a large dining room, an extensive camping field, dormitories with amenities, and shower blocks, as well as a 40-seater conference suite and a lodge that can sleep up to 16 people.

2018 will mark the 80th anniversary of Whitehough, which has prompted BFCitC to launch the 80 Years of Whitehough project, with the charity looking for people who have previously visited Whitehough to send their memories of the facility. Those with photo or video memories of Whitehough can email them to [email protected]

If you want to submit a memory of Whitehough, or you would like to enquire about booking the facilities, visit www.burnleyfccommunity.org/whitehough-outdoor-activity-centre or contact BFCitC’s Head of Facilities, Matt Hargreaves, on [email protected] and 01282 704 716; or Whitehough’s Centre Manager, Sara Parsons, on [email protected] and 01282 615 688.