Penn Hall wins 2006 Kielder Challenge

Penn Hall School in Wolverhampton has beaten off competition from more than 250 schools across the UK to be crowned 2006 Kielder Challenge Cup Final champions. The Kielder Challenge is a unique national outdoor adventure competition for teams of eight 13 to 16 year olds with and without learning, sensory and physical disabilities. More than 250 teams entered the competition earlier this year and each took part in a regional heat at a country park in their area but only six teams got to take part in the Cup Final.

Penn Hall School scored very highly in the English Midlands region to claim its place in the two-day Final held in Kielder Forest in Northumberland on 23rd and 24th September.

The Kielder Challenge is in its 22nd year and is organised by the UK’s leading outdoor access charity, Fieldfare Trust and is supported by the HSBC Education Trust. The competition aims to integrate youngsters with and without disabilities in an outdoor environment, something many young people do not get the chance to experience.

At the final, the teams were asked to compete in a series of problem solving tasks, including a non-verbal communication game where the teams were only allowed use lasers and mirrors to correspond with each other.

The Penn Hall team won its champions trophy for demonstrating impressive teamwork and integration between its team members. Fieldfare Trust’s Ian Newman, one of the organisers of the competition, was delighted to see them win. “The Kielder Challenge Final is always a great event,” explained Ian. “But the Penn Hall team did very well and really captured what the competition is all about – working together to find each other’s strengths and enjoying yourself while you’re doing it!”

The eight Penn Hall team members were: Alex Giles (16), Jodie Willetts, Stacey Hallett (13), Kyle Marsh, Hannah Morley (16), Chris Swatman (15), Eleanor De Rosa (16) and Sam Carter (15).

The other five teams who took part in the 2006 Kielder Challenge Cup Final were: Bishop of Hereford Bluecoat School in Tupsley, Range High School in Formby, Ivybridge Community College in Ivybridge and joint teams from St Johns School for the Deaf and Wetherby School in Boston Spa and Newstead Wood School and Marjorie McClure School in Orpington.

For further information about the Kielder Challenge and to register your interest for the 2007 event log onto www.fieldfare.org.uk/kielder-challenge.htm or call 0115 9486926.