By Toria Cox
Mount Cook Adventure Centre, a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to providing access to the outdoors for all, has announced the appointment of Steve Turner as the new CEO.
The announcement comes as Mount Cook enters an exciting growth stage, just 2 and a half years after opening in July 2016. Since then, the purpose-built Centre has welcomed over 19,000 adults, children and young people who have participated in a range of adventurous activities, outdoor learning opportunities and public events.
Steve Turner most recently held the position of CEO at Endeavour, a charity based in Sheffield which raises the aspirations of some of the country’s most disadvantaged young people. Steve’s experience working with hard-to-reach young people will be beneficial to his new role at Mount Cook, who has worked with over 860 adults and young people from charities such as National Deaf Children’s Society, Kidney Care UK and Blend Youth.
Steve said: “I am thrilled to start my new role as CEO for Mount Cook. The organisation has already been very successful in delivering adventurous outdoors activities in Derbyshire to a wide range of people. However, our aim for 2019 and beyond is to further expand our reach to more groups across the UK, refine our outdoor education provision for schools and enhance the team-building experiences offered to corporate groups. This is a very exciting time to join a rapidly growing organisation, whose ethos and values mirror my personal belief in the importance of social and personal development through outdoor activities.”
Mount Cook’s environmentally-friendly building provides en-suite accommodation for up to 184 guests in modern bedrooms and unique glamping pods. Catering and a licensed bar are available in the large, glass-fronted Main Dining Hall which can seat up to 120 guests. Numerous communal spaces are also offered for meetings, training sessions and conferences, which are equipped with projectors, screens and flip charts.
The Centre provides a range of outdoor activities from Bush Craft, High Ropes, Rock Climbing and their new Rooftop Rider Zip Wire which opened in June 2018. Mount Cook’s activity sessions have been designed to develop key skills which include teamwork, communication, resilience and self-confidence.
