Rain couldn’t dampen the spirit at Plas Pencelli Outdoor Education Centre on Saturday, August 30, as the Swindon Borough Council-owned centre marked 60 years of inspiring adventure and learning in the great outdoors.

Despite the wet weather, visitors embraced the spirit of the day, enjoying canoeing, climbing, and blindfolded trails around the centre’s scenic grounds.

Local residents, former students and staff joined the celebrations, with Swindon Councillors Jim Robbins and Kevin Small helping to cut a commemorative cake and share reflections on the centre’s remarkable legacy.

Since opening its doors in 1965, Plas Pencelli has welcomed generations of young people, offering more than just outdoor activities - it’s been a place of transformation. Here, students have discovered courage, built lifelong friendships, and learned lessons that go far beyond the classroom.

“Outdoor education isn’t a luxury - it’s a vital part of a child’s development,” said Cilla Withers, Interim Head of Centre.

“It teaches resilience, teamwork, leadership, and self-belief. It gives students the chance to step away from screens and schedules, and instead step into rivers, summit mountain tops, explore the underground and into the heart of nature itself. These experiences shape character, spark curiosity, and often become the memories that define a school career.”

Thanks to a long-standing partnership with Swindon Borough Council, thousands of pupils from Swindon, Wiltshire, and beyond have had the chance to explore the wild beauty of Bannau Brycheiniog - often for the first time leaving their hometowns to do so.

In this time, school and centre staff have helped young people gain not only adventure, but also confidence, independence, and a deeper connection to the world around them.

A spokesperson for the centre added: “As Plas Pencelli looks ahead to the future, its mission remains unchanged: to provide unforgettable experiences that shape character and spark curiosity.”