Brathay Hall, home of the Brathay Trust. Photo: John Lomas CC-BY-SA-2.0

A charitable trust is to take over the running of two outdoor education centres faced with closure.

The Brathay Trust will lease Low Bank Ground and Hinning House from Wigan Council in a deal that will see the two centres run by the charity for the next seven years.

The council’s cabinet considered selling off the two sites or closing them, but decided to hand the operation of the two outdoor centres, on the shore of Coniston Water and in the Duddon Valley respectively, to the trust, which specialises in offering support to youngsters in difficulties using, among other methods, outdoor activities.

The trust is based at Brathay Hall near Ambleside and has as its aims reducing offending and anti-social behaviour’ improving learning, attainment and employability; increasing wellbeing and empowerment for young people in need, and improving communities and meeting local needs.

Wigan Council’s executive director of people Nick Hudson said: “The council recognises how valuable these centres are and as a result we have looked at every option for their future.”

In common with many local authorities, Wigan has to trim its budget as Government cuts hit. Wigan councillors have been told to reduce their spending by £66m in the next four year.

Mr Hudson said: “Given the current economic climate it is unfortunately not possible to continue to subsidise the centres to the same extent as before but we believe we have provided a viable solution.

“We have looked at the possibility of leasing the centres to an organisation which specialises in outdoor education with young people and after an extensive tendering process we believe we have found a suitable candidate.”

Wigan has owned the two centres for almost 30 years and recently was subsidising their running by £200,000 a year.

Under the deal with Brathay, Wigan residents will continue to have access to the two outdoor education centres. Existing staff will keep their jobs.

Wigan Council leader Lord Smith of Leigh said: “The Lake District may be relatively close to Wigan Borough but we are conscious that many children and young people from our borough would never have been or indeed have the chance to go.

“This was uppermost in our minds when we went to view these properties nearly 26 years ago. From the many reports we have had back since about children and young people literally having the time of their lives at these centres it is clear we made the right decision to invest in them.

“I am therefore delighted that we can develop a partnership with Brathay that will enable future generations of local children to broaden their experiences by visiting the Lakes.”

Brathay chief executive Godfrey Owen added: “We’re delighted that we have been given the opportunity to manage the two centres and we will continue the invaluable work that Wigan Council has been doing in recent years.

“The partnership is expected to bring many benefits for children and young people in Wigan and it is a fantastic solution for both them and the council.”

An online petition to the coalition Government urging ministers to save outdoor education centres across the country has attracted more than 2,500 signatures.

Organisers say one in three local authority outdoor education centres face closure due to budget cuts.