YMCA Lakeside, one of Europe’s largest outdoor education centres near Newby Bridge, Windermere, has a new senior operations manager, Ryan Plunkett.
His role is central to ensuring the 7,000 children and young people who visit each year have safe, high-quality and enjoyable experiences.
Ryan who has previously worked for local organisations, looks after the day-to-day running of the centre’s programmed activities, including staffing, safety, timetabling and risk management. At peak times, Lakeside employs up to 16 seasonal instructors each day alongside a core team of permanent instructors. Ryan said the variety of the job was one of its main attractions: “The role brings constant challenge, requiring problem-solving, adaptability and teamwork”. Plus its location: “Few outdoor education centres offer this range of natural resources. On our doorstep we have three rockfaces for climbing, extensive and direct lakeshore access, acres of ancient woodland and open green spaces,” added Ryan.
A major focus for Ryan will be supporting instructors to deliver programmes aimed at helping young people develop confidence, resilience, independence and practical life skills through outdoor learning.
Ryan is working alongside a team who share the same values and passion for the outdoors. “We all believe in the powerful impact that adventure and outdoor learning can have on young people,” he said.
The appointment comes at a busy time for Lakeside. Lakeside are hosting the English Canoe Symposium, attracting up to 100 participants for sessions that included coaching, equipment demonstrations, technical workshops and guided excursions.
Lakeside is also recruiting seasonal instructors ahead of the next season, which starts in February. And the centre is preparing for 2027, with a programme of school visits and day camps planned, alongside the opening of a second “spell garden”, created in partnership with designer Nicola Hills and young people. The Otter Garden, the work of steam-bending wood artist Charlie Whinney, will join the existing Kingfisher Garden, which is already used by visiting schools.
Schools and youth groups from across Cumbria, North Lancashire, and beyond, visit the centre each year. Since the 1920s, more than one million young people have benefited from the centre’s transformational mix of adventure, learning, and personal development.
