The Trinity Boetius Centre Spirit of adventure

The Boetius Centre is Trinity’s adventure centre nestled in the stunning wilds of the Brecon Beacons. It is the inspiring legacy of former biology teacher Dick Boetius who worked at the school from 1969-1979 and pioneered outdoor pursuits during that time.

Dick relished taking students out of their comfort zones and challenging them in the Great Outdoors. He fostered a keen spirit of adventure among the students, organising unforgettable excursions in the UK and Europe. He also had a passion for working with disabled children and partnered with Dorton House School for the blind. Many joint trips to the Brecon Beacons helped challenge students’ perceptions of disability.

Dick generously left the school a large sum of money when he died in 2013. His vision was to purchase a centre close to his beloved Brecon Beacons to ensure students for years to come would benefit from the life-changing experiences he championed.

After renovations were completed in 2015, the Boetius Centre was officially opened. Every year since, groups from across school have travelled to Wales to take part in team-building exercises, outdoor pursuits such as gorge-walking and kayaking and subject-specific field trips. It’s an opportunity for students to experience personal growth and cement friendships away from the classroom.

We are extremely privileged to have this resource available to us as a school. This year, for the first time, we are also opening bookings of the centre to our Trinity community with special rates available.

The Boetius Centre is a perfect base to explore the surrounding areas for all ages, and we can provide lots of recommendations.

Please contact Assistant Bursar Mrs Lake for more information, prices and availability: jel@trinity.croydon.sch.uk

History of the centre

1880's 'The Ashgrove', a private dwelling, was built by an Irish railway worker

1938 The property became a working men’s club

1958 The side building was constructed as a concert hall

1960's A young singer named Tom Jones performed there but was paid off after half time as the audience did not like his act

1980's The Ashgrove was converted into a public house. The concert hall became ensuite bedrooms

2013 Trinity School began the purchase of the building in memory of Dick Boetius

2015 After extensive renovations, the Trinity Boetius Centre was ready for school use

Memories of Dick Boetius

“An inspirational teacher who stood out from the crowd by his individualism and unconventional ways... a natural mentor before mentorship was in most of our vocabularies. Dick’s biology lessons were often outdoors in the school grounds, in real life, observing the form and structure of trees.”

“On trips, we'd be cramped in a minibus with caving/climbing kit, with someone on tea duty, boiling water on a camping stove in the back, along the M6 at 70mph.”

Simon White, Class of 1977

“Initially Dick had no formal qualifications. What he lacked in that department, he more than compensated for in enthusiasm, imagination and an unshakable belief that the sort of experiences he was providing would have a profound effect on the development of those involved.”

Jim Hammond, Class of 1974

Academic