CENTRE: IN FOCUS THE COUNTRYSIDE

F rom little acorns mature large oak trees, and so it feels for our growing Countryside Centre. While the Radley College Beagles have been around since 1941, the range of countryside activities available at Radley has gone through something of a major transition in recent times with the construction of a brand new and bespoke Countryside Centre in 2018. With the employment of a centre assistant in 2021 and a Countryside Partnerships Director in 2022, the centre is now increasingly expanding its internal offer to Radley boys, while also contributing significantly to the College’s growing partnership work with primary and secondary schools, charities, and the local community. Charlie Herbert, Simon Timbrell and Thomas Wye tell us more.

Internally, the Michaelmas Term saw the start of the inaugural Shell Countryside Centre Programme — which sees all firstyear boys spend up to six Wednesday afternoons undertaking a variety of countryside activities, from an introduction to hunting, shooting, and fishing through to farm visits, bushcraft and woodland skills, air rifle shooting and an introduction to animal husbandry. Concurrently, the centre continues to support older year groups through the CCF. Over time, our aim is to develop a through-school continuum of countryside activities and events, with the centre playing an increasingly important role in the fabric of Radley life, delivering classleading countryside, conservation and environmental education, training, and personal development opportunities.

Externally, our nascent partnering efforts have seen a broad range of innovative pilot programmes this term. Our core partnership offer focuses on the delivery of countryside alternative provision for small numbers of local secondary school children who might otherwise face temporary or permanent exclusion from mainstream education. After two successful six-week pilots, 2023 will see the launch of an 11-week alternative provision programme with one of our key partner schools. It will take time to really measure the longterm impact of this work, but initial results suggest that well-tailored countryside centre programmes, delivered in a mutually beneficial, trusted, and meaningful partnership, can have a hugely positive and inspirational effect on all participants.

Another interesting development has been our work with Headway Oxfordshire – a wonderful local charity supporting the rehabilitation of adult brain injury survivors. It is medically proven that neuroplasticity requires stimulus in a safe environment, and it has been hugely satisfying to work with a small group of brain injury survivors this term – feeding and caring for our livestock, lighting campfires with a flint and steel, and shooting air rifles. The initial results of a five-week pilot with a small group certainly demonstrated the value of the centre in supporting the mental and physical rehabilitation of participants, with at least one commenting how it had boosted her wellbeing and enabled her to challenge herself in an unfamiliar environment. Given the results, 2023 will see the programme rolled out more formally. Other partnership initiatives have included a weekly Junior Farmers’ Programme with a local primary school, and several one-off events with other long-term or potential partners.

Of course, the day-to-day rhythm of the Countryside Centre has continued around all these activities. 2022 has seen the breeding of eighteen beagle puppies and ten lambs, the arrival (and subsequent departure) of four Oxford Sandy weaners and a very well-attended annual Radley College Beagles Puppy Show at the start of Festival 175. Legal hunting continues to be a popular sports choice for a small but enthusiastic group of Radleians, with successful trips to Dartmoor and Shropshire. In recent months our three Joint Masters (6.1 and 6.2 boys) were congratulated also on their excellent showing of Radley hounds at both the Royal Three Counties and Wales & Border Counties Hound Shows, with a total of four 1st places, four 2nd places, one 3rd place and four 4th places –a terrific achievement from the only school pack to enter these prestigious hound shows, and a great credit to the Joint Masters, Kennel Huntsman and Master in Charge of Beagling. We remain hugely grateful to the beagling committee, ORs and parents whose support we are so reliant on.

All in all, it is a busy and exciting time in the evolution of the Countryside Centre.