Phoenix Outdoor Centre

The Phoenix Outdoor Centre is located next to the Welsh Harp Reservoir on the borders of the Boroughs of Barnet and Brent between West Hendon and Wembley. The Outdoor Centre was started in 2011 and has grown year on year catering in 2022 for over 9,500 attendances. The Phoenix Outdoor Centre offers kayaking, canoeing, SUP boarding, bell boating, dinghy sailing, windsurfing, powerboat training, rafting, team building, first aid training and orienteering – click on the Activities tab to find out more.

The Phoenix Outdoor Centre is licensed by the Adventurous Activities Licensing Service (​L72641 / R1940) to provide kayaking, canoeing, Bell boating, dinghy sailing, windsurfing and improvised rafting, is a British Canoeing Delivery Partner Centre, accredited with Sport England’s prestigious Club Mark and hold Public Liability Insurance through Geo Speciality with £5m cover. We are recognized by the Royal Yachting Association as an RYA Training Centre providing dinghy sailing, windsurfing, power boat training and first aid.

We can take student groups from Year 5 upwards (Club Membership is from 9) and can tailor sessions to suit a number of objectives and outcomes:

• One-off taster sessions
• Series of sessions – BC Paddle Discover or Paddle Explore / RYA Stage 1-4 Dinghy or 1-2 Windsurfing
• Key Stages 2-4 curriculum
• DoE training
• Youth group training
• Team building
• Class or Year group bonding sessions
• GCSE Physical Education
• Swimming pool sessions
• Staff inset training day
• Nature studies paddle
• Day and weekend river trips
• London Youth Games training
• Reward sessions / Golden Hour
• Pupil Premium activities

All participants have an exit route into the Club through membership payment or to the Centre for RYA OnBoard youth activities and supervised sailing sessions. Club membership provides regular Sunday paddling sessions with progressive training through the BC Awards system, river trips and whitewater paddling, safety & rescue and introductory surf training courses. The Centre provides after-school RYA OnBoard sessions on a Thursday evening (Easter to October), Paddle Parties and additional BC & RYA Awards system training including private coaching.

We have a large fleet of modern kayaks, canoes and SUP boards, three Bell Boats, plus buoyancy aids and cagoules to keep the paddlers safe and dry. Sailing is in our fleet of Laser Pico’s, RS Visions, RS Feva’s & Laser Radials and for windsurfing, we have a selection of Rio Armor Tech boards and Tushingham rigs. All of our coaches are fully qualified for the work they undertake and we operate on a ratio of 1 coach to 8 students for kayaking and canoeing and 10 students for Bell Boating. All sail sports activities are undertaken strictly in accordance with current RYA guidelines.

We are happy to form links and partnerships with schools, colleges and groups and are working in conjunction with the School Sports Partnerships in Barnet and Brent, London Sport, Barnet Explorer and Network Scouts. We also work with the nearby Welsh Harp Environmental Education Centre and can provide joint nature study and adventurous activity programmes.

For more details and bookings contact:

• Centre Activities Manager – Mark Underwood – 07854 655968 / mark@phoenixoutdoorcentre.co.uk
• Centre Development Director – Phil Atkinson – 07837 585798 / phil@phoenixoutdoorcentre.co.uk

We can cater for schools and groups from New Barnet, East Barnet, Barnet, Friern Barnet, Finchley, West Finchley, East Finchley, Brent Cross, Brent, Golders Green, Highgate, Totteridge, Arkley, Hendon, West Hendon, Mill Hill, Burnt Oak, Edgware, Cricklewood, Colindale, Stanmore, Harrow, Harrow Weald, South Harrow, Pinner, Greenford, Headstone, Eastcote, Hatch End, Sudbury, Kenton, Wembley, North Wembley, Wembley Park, Sudbury, Alperton, Neasden, Surbiton, Willesden, Kilburn, West Hampsted, Hampstead, Swiss Cottage, Chalk Farm, St. Johns Wood, Belsize Park, Kentish Town, Potters Bar, London Colney, Boreham Wood, Elstree, Watford, Bushey Heath, Aldenham, Radlett, Brooksman Park, Little Heath, Cockfosters, Oakwood, Southgate, Enfield, Muswell Hill, Alexandra Park, Hornsey, Haringey, London, North London, North West London, Hertfordshire, Middlesex