The Centre > History

The History of Blithfield Education Centre

History and Development

Blithfield Education Centre was opened on 15 May 1996 by the well respected television personality and leading ornithologist, Bill Oddie.

The Education Centre buildings date back to around 1850 and were previously owned and operated as a commercial saw mill by Lord Bagot. The saw mill was known as Stansley Wood Saw Mill owing to its location adjacent to an area of ancient semi-natural woodland known as Stansley Wood.

The buildings were acquired from Lord Bagot when The South Staffordshire Water Works Company bought the land to create Blithfield Reservoir, back in 1938. At this time the buildings were already in a poor state of repair. The water company took over the operation of the saw mill from Lord Bagot and used it to produce fencing materials and wooden wedges. The wedges were used by water company personnel in the mains laying process. Two wedges lying opposing each other formed a V-shape into which the water pipes could be laid. This lifted the pipes up from the floor of the trench in which they were being laid and allowed water company operatives to get to the nuts and bolts more easily when tightening them up to join the sections of pipe together.

As the years went by, changes in the timber trade made it less economical to operate the saw mill and its use declined. Consequently, the buildings became neglected and fell into a more serious state of disrepair. In the early 1990's, the company's Estates Manager of the time, Mr Patrick Waldron, was asked to look into company buildings and happened across the saw mill. During a board meeting chaired by the former company Chairman, John Harris, the saw mill buildings were discussed and it was proposed that the buildings could be developed into an educational facility. Consequently, Patrick was asked to investigate how the company might turn this suggestion into reality.

The company appointed a local architect and consulted with Local Education Authorities and education specialists before agreeing upon the final design for the development of the buildings.

By the summer of 1995, the plans were in place and the conversion work could commence. The final design aimed to maintain the natural characteristics of the buildings and make use of as many of the existing materials as possible. Hence, the original roof tiles were re-used and as much as possible of the original timber was left in place. In fact, there were only two roof beams that had to be replaced, both of them being located above the current office where the buildings had decayed most severely.

A new stoned access road was laid and an all-ability path made of Breedon Gravel was forged through Stansley Wood, leading down to the reservoir edge. The all-ability path was deliberately designed to twist and turn so as to provide bends on which planting could take place, and to make the path seem longer than it actually was. The path was also routed so as to take in some of the natural features of the woodland, e.g. fallen trees, and trees that had been struck by lightning. Although around twenty trees had to be removed from the neighbouring woods, an extensive planting programme was carried out with around 800 new trees being planted.

Most of the building work was completed by February 1996. The company had made the decision that it was going to appoint one of its own staff to set up and manage the new education centre, rather than hand control over to a third party. Hence, in December 1995, Steven Blower was appointed to the post of Education Co-ordinator with the primary task of getting the centre up and running and ensuring its success. Steven worked hard to establish contacts, create educational materials, develop work stations in the woodland area adjacent to the centre buildings, and market the centre to schools. The Education Centre took its first visitors on 14 March 1996, a group of children from Palfrey Junior School in Walsall, accompanied by the school's head teacher Mrs Anthea Price.

Since this time the centre has proved to be a tremendous success and has won awards from both Walsall EBP and the Staffordshire Partnership.

Significant events in the History of the Education Centre

Decision made to convert Stansley Wood Sawmill to an Education Centre - 1994
Conversion work undertaken - 1995
Education Co-ordinator appointed - December 1995
First school group visit Blithfield Education Centre - 14 March 1996
Blithfield Education Centre officially opened by Bill Oddie - 15 May 1996
First teacher training programme undertaken at the centre for Staffordshire teachers - June 1996
First teacher training programme undertaken at the centre for Walsall teachers - July 1996
First scout group visit to Blithfield Education Centre took place - October 1996
First New Year's day walk run from Blithfield Education Centre - January 1997
Hosted visit by Malaysians - June 1997
First time two visits run consecutively on one day - June 1997
Ran first summer holiday playscheme event - July 1997
Gold crests, long tailed tit, and Willow tit recorded at Education Centre for first time - Oct 1997
First use of Education Centre by West Midlands Bird Club - September 1998
Hit 10,000 visitors on the Education Centre's third anniversary - May 1999
Launched Windows on Our World initiative to Walsall teachers at Education Centre - June 1999
Hosted visit by children from Bellarousse affected by the Chernobyl incident - June 1999
Participated in Fax Friends summer playscheme - July 1999
Constructed Otter Holt in Lower Blithe with Staffordshire Wildlife Trust - November 1999
New Classroom Assistant Chris Watson started - February 2000
Projector screen fitted to classroom wall - February 2000
Foot and Mouth Disease - temporary closure - reopened by Lord Corbett in October 2001
Redecoration in 2001
Woodlands Management Plan developed in - June 2002
Celebration event, 150 years of SSW and 50 years of Blithfield - July 2003
First harvest mouse nest recorded - 17 January 2005
New non-slip surface fitted to replace worn surface on slopes - December 2005
Pond renovation in 2005
10-year anniversary in 2006