The Ardwhallan Outdoor Education Centre is to shut later this month.

Head of the centre Paul Melling, who is resigning for personal reasons, gave a statement on its behalf.

He cited ’difficult changes it has been going through in the past two years, to do with how the Department [of Education, Sport and Culture] is connected to the charity [which runs the centre] and the legal risks this brings’.

Mr Melling said that because of this, Ardwhallan and its activities will cease operation from April 28.

He did however stress that it was not closing down permanently, and that as far as he was aware the centre would continue to operate in some form in the future.

’It just needs to iron out the issues of government’s connection to the charity,’ he added.

The centre, in West Baldwin, Braddan, which has been operating since 1979, will be mothballing its equipment ’so that the legal administration details can be sorted out as well as how the centre is run in the future’.

Mr Melling said that there was currently ’no time frame’ set out for the process of fixing these issues, adding that ’it may take some time’.

A statement from the government also described the closure as temporary.

It said: ’The government is taking the opportunity to review all services provided to schools at Ardwhallan following the recent resignation of a member of staff.

’The situation means the charity owned centre is temporarily unable to offer normal outdoor sessions, however, the delivery of the Duke of Edinburgh Awards Scheme will continue to be managed and developed further in the future.

’Ardwhallan will remain temporarily shut while the review takes place and a further announcement will be made in due course.

’Generations of children and young people have visited the centre in West Baldwin to connect with the great outdoors and take part in activities such as kayaking and rock climbing.’

Mr Melling thanked all the staff and volunteers that had ’helped over the years to make the centre what it was’, adding that he would now be going on to operate his own outdoor activities company.

Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme coordinator Alison Beales, who at this time is still based at her office in the centre, said that she had been assured by government that the scheme’s activities would be unaffected and that it would remain ’business as usual’ for them.

The Ardwhallan centre included a dedicated campground for young people pursuing the awards scheme, and Mrs Barnes added that while it was ’unfortunate’ that these facilities would be temporarily unavailable for their activities, she hopes they will be able to use them again in the future.

In addition to offering outdoor activities courses and instruction, Ardwhallan also offered a 30-bed hostel for overnight stays.

The only other outdoor centre which offers similar facilities in the island is the privately run Venture Centre in Maughold.