Our Story
Our Story
NAYC/ACUK purchased Pioneer Centre in 1991, however the story goes back to 1939 when the original Centre was opened by Coventry City Council as an evacuation and then special needs school until 1984. From then for 6 years it was run as ‘Fort Rocky’ by Youth For Christ and given a Canadian theme.
NAYC/ACUK operated in the original buildings for 10 years and then an ambitious building programme was undertaken. The Foundation stone was laid by the Earl and Countess of Wessex (Prince Eduard and Sophie) in 2003, and the completed centre was opened in 2008.
Who We Are
Operated by ACUK (Action Centres Ltd), a facility of NAYC (Northamptonshire Association of Youth Clubs) charity, Pioneer is dedicated to unlocking the potential of every child or individual who enters our doors.
Situated in 25 acres of land adjacent to the 6,000 acre Wyre Forest, Pioneer is only 45 minutes by road from Birmingham. Over the years state of the art Activity Equipment has been constructed including abseil towers, high rope courses and a one-acre mini lake has been developed for water activities.
Pioneer has earned high recommendations as a training centre for Firm Foundations an instructor gap year programme. This initiative aims to further personal growth, provide qualifications and empower young people to unlock their potential and the potential of visiting groups. These include schools, youth organisations, special needs groups and conference/ holiday groups. It is estimated that over 600,000 young people have benefitted since 1991.
Our Vision, Beliefs and Values
At the Pioneer Centre, we collectively embrace a shared vision for the future — fostering sustainable growth, hosting an increasing number of school, youth, & church residential programs, and establishing ourselves as a premier conference, and outdoor training centre on local, regional, national, and international fronts.
The unwavering commitment, tireless efforts, energy and enthusiasm of our dedicated staff and trainees form the cornerstone of our achievements. Consistently upholding high standards contributes significantly to our ongoing success and solid reputation for delivering top-notch services.
Our values trace their origins to the humble beginnings of the NAYC charity. Our primary goal is to aid, support, and educate young people, with a particular focus on fostering physical, mental and spiritual development leading to maturity as individuals. Residential experiences serve as transformative opportunities for young individuals and adults to cultivate a positive outlook on the future.
Our facilities and programs extend an opportunity to many facing adversity — and groups attend with a huge range of individuals including those living in poverty, challenging circumstances, at-risk youth, those with disabilities, special needs, and coping with serious, life-threatening illnesses.
Through our activity programs, we aim to empower individuals to develop qualities such as resilience, social awareness, connection to nature and physical challenge whilst also developing their self-confidence and building them up as a team. Outdoor activity residential programs, such as ours, have been shown to provide experiences and opportunities that may be effective in breaking the chain of boredom, truancy, vandalism, addiction, petty crime, and drugs.
All our facilities are purposefully designed to positively impact people’s lives. This holds true not only for young individuals but also for conferences and groups utilising our centres to unite people, provide training, education, and study opportunities, sow the seeds of positive change, and break the monotony of daily routines with a visit to the Pioneer Centre.
Action Centres and NAYC
Our organisation operates under the umbrella of two distinct entities:
NAYC (Northamptonshire Association of Youth Clubs) and ACUK (Action Centres UK Ltd), our trading company. ACUK oversees and manages several activity, conference, sports and training centres, including King’s Park Conference Centre, King’s Park Sports, Pioneer Centre and Whitemoor Lakes. Whilst our roots are in Northamptonshire, not all of our centres are located within the county.
The surplus generated by ACUK through the operation of these centres serves as a vital source of support for NAYC’s charitable endeavours. This unique structure allows us to extend our reach beyond Northamptonshire, impacting communities, young people and individuals across various regions, while ensuring a sustainable flow of resources to fulfil our charitable mission.
Together we are committed to make a positive and far-reaching impact on the lives of young people and communities – releasing their potential!
Since 1961 we have stood firm on our mission to help and educate young people through leisure-time activities. Over the years we have been the forerunner of many different initiatives to help and support young people.
NAYC Youthwork
NAYC plays a pivotal role as an infrastructure organisation in Northamptonshire, delivering crucial youth services to the Voluntary VCSFE sector. We actively collaborate with our members in local communities to address the needs of young people. Our dedicated Youthwork Team is engaged in supporting essential work across four primary workstreams: Youth Provision, Activities Delivery, Volunteer Training, and Young People’s Leadership.
Find out more about our work here.
