Established in 1999 on the site of a former RAF base in Plymouth, the Mount Batten Watersports and Activities Centre is one of the foremost Outdoor Education centres in the South West.

It opens all year round (except for two weeks during the Christmas period) to provide a wide range of watersports and land-based adventure activities for individuals, groups and affiliated clubs and associations. Located on the tidal estuary of the Plymouth Sound, the centre facilities include accommodation for up to 60 guests, boat storage and a waterside cafe bar that is open to the public.

Watersports offered include canoeing, kayaking, sailing and stand-up paddleboarding. Land-based activities for visiting school groups include abseiling, rock-climbing and use of the centre’s indoor climbing wall.

School groups visit the centre throughout the year and travel from as far afield as North Wales, Lincolnshire and Cornwall. Currently most groups that visit are from secondary schools but in recent years the centre has seen an increase in the number of primary schools attending, particularly from the immediate catchment area in and around Devon.

The Mount Batten Watersports and Activities Centre are key partners of the Plymouth Sound National Marine Park and look forward to the future and providing even more accessibility to the water for those that wish to try, learn and experience watersports.

From Not-For-Profit to Charitable Status

In late 2004 the Centre became the Mount Batten Centre Charity Trust having previously operated as a ‘not-for-profit’ organisation. Some of the centre’s trading activities have stayed outside the charity within a not-for-profit company that operates in parallel to accommodate some of the hospitality services that they provide (bar, weddings, parties, etc.).

Flexible Staff Structure

The centre operates a flexible staff structure with a core team of 9 full-time permanent staff supplemented by a large number of freelance, casual and part-time workers. They have a database of over 70 local Instructors who may help them as required throughout the seasonal peaks and troughs of the year. The centre can have up to 240 guests on the water and activity staff numbers can range from two to 32 per day.

Why AIM?

The Mount Batten Watersports and Activities Centre moved to AIM in 2014. In addition to Public and Employers’ Liability cover of £10m and Professional Indemnity cover of £2m, AIM provides property cover for a large fleet of boats and equipment and also arranges the insurance of their 7-seater vehicle with a specialist motor insurer.

The Centre management team values the industry knowledge and expertise within AIM and appreciates the sense of community that is AIM and the opportunities for Members to help each other. Other AIM community events include Member seminars, the AGM and the election of AIM directors.

More info: www.mount-batten-centre.com