About Us

Noah’s Ark Children’s Venture is a registered charity and company limited by guarantee. We offer well-equipped, low cost residential accommodation in a peaceful rural setting that enables groups working with their client groups to achieve their aims and objectives within a safe, secure environment that offers support and understanding to everyone who comes.

We are based on 21 acres of woodland.

This is where the excitement of exploring begins.

Come and see what Macaroni Woods, the wildlife and nature has to offer on your residential doorstep.

Our Aims

Noah’s Ark Children’s Venture is a residential facility for disadvantaged and disabled children and young people we are a registered charity. Our aim is to make a positive difference to the lives of children and young people who are experiencing social or educational exclusion, by reason of their youth, disability, poverty, or social and economic circumstances further exacerbated by Covid-19. We do this by providing a meaningful residential and outdoor learning experience in a woodland environment, to help them grow more confident, promoting their physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing.

Our History

The Noah’s Ark Children’s Venture (NACV) was founded in Deptford Adventure Playground in the early 1970s with the prime objective of providing high-quality, low-cost short-stay residential breaks to groups working with children, young people, and adults from the inner cities and elsewhere. The original trustees of the charity were granted use of a piece of woodland and some old buildings from a decommissioned RAF base set in woodland in the Cotswolds. The site was owned by Sir Thomas Bazley who leased us the property on a peppercorn rent of £50 per year although it is a full-repairing lease which means we have all responsibility for anything which needs doing to the site and buildings. The estate changed hands in 2007 and is now owned by The Ernest Cook Trust, a large grant-making trust. They maintained all the original leasing agreements with the charity.

Testimonials

“I feel the difference it has made on our families is immense.”

After such an unpredictable year with Covid this break really helped us all to come back together and appreciate the simple things and bring happiness and laughter to each other’s lives.” “We did lots of walking that we enjoyed as there isn’t a lot of places, we have locally the kids were around animals, and we were so excited to get up and get eggs from the chickens etc.”