Help Us Keep Adventure Inclusive

Support Dukes Barn to ensure every child can #LearnThroughAdventure

Where Courage is Found in Climbing Walls and Friendships Are Forged on Forest Trails

In the heart of the Peak District, nestled in the quiet village of Beeley, something extraordinary happens every day at Dukes Barn. Here, children of all abilities paddle canoes, conquer ropes courses, and discover they are far more capable than they ever imagined.

At Dukes Barn, we believe adventure should be for everyone. And we need your help to keep it that way.

Why Your Support Matters

Dukes Barn is a charitable, educational trust that delivers life-changing outdoor activity programmes for:

  • Children with disabilities
  • Young people from disadvantaged backgrounds
  • Mainstream school groups seeking character-building residentials

We receive no statutory funding. Every ropes course adapted, every sensory path laid, every night under the stars is made possible because of generous supporters like you.

📈 Our Impact in 2024

Dukes Barn 2024 Impact Pie Chart
  • 2,577 visitors (up from 2,384 the previous year)
  • 59 residential and 5 day courses
  • 215 with SEND, 605 from disadvantaged backgrounds
  • 102 from minority ethnic groups, 30 BSL users
  • 676 supported by the Bursary Fund (up from 411)

🌍 Championing Inclusion in National Parks

Through the Championing National Parks for Everyone Project, Dukes Barn hosted 18 groups with 566 visitors from minority ethnic backgrounds, helping bridge the accessibility gap in outdoor education.

🧒 Mini Adventurers – Early Years SEND Support

Our Mini Adventurer sessions provide early years children with SEND access to engaging, nature-based learning through mud kitchens, water walls, sensory gardens and wildlife exploration — at a nominal charge to ensure inclusivity.

🏡 Expanding and Protecting Our Legacy

  • Charity Commission consent to expand our purpose
  • Landlord approval for site development
  • Completion of heritage and bat impact reports to guide sustainable growth

🤝 Growing Our Team and Future Impact

New Trustees with fundraising expertise joined the board, and a dedicated project platform is now in place to launch strategic campaigns that fuel the next phase of Dukes Barn’s mission.

Ways to Support Dukes Barn

  • Make a Donation:
  • Join a Fundraising Event: Like our Freaky Family Fundraiser at Halloween
  • Organise Your Own Fundraiser: We'll support you every step of the way
  • Corporate Giving & Sponsorship: Partner with us to transform lives

Together we #LearnThroughAdventure

Support Dukes Barn | Fundraising Impact 2024

Our Impact in 2024

Thanks to your generous support, 2024 was a year of growth, inclusion, and adventure at Dukes Barn. Here's how your donations helped us deliver unforgettable experiences to children and young people with a wide range of abilities and needs.

📈 Key Achievements

  • 2,577 visitors participated in residential and day activities (up from 2,384 in 2023).
  • 59 residential courses and 5 day courses delivered in the Peak District.
  • 215 participants had Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).
  • 605 children faced relative socio-economic disadvantage.
  • 102 visitors identified as belonging to a minority ethnic group.
  • 30 participants used British Sign Language.
  • 676 children accessed support through the Bursary Fund – up from 411 the year before.

🌍 Championing Inclusion in National Parks

As part of the Championing National Parks for Everyone Project, we hosted 18 groups totalling 566 visitors from minority ethnic communities, helping to tackle underrepresentation and promote belonging in outdoor spaces.

🧒 Early Years Impact – Mini Adventurers

Our Mini Adventurer sessions provided engaging outdoor learning for early years children with SEND. Led by a qualified early years practitioner, these sessions focused on communication, personal, social, and emotional development through nature play in our allotment and woodland spaces.

🏡 Making the Barn More Accessible

Following a major strategic review, we:

  • Gained Charity Commission approval to expand our mission.
  • Secured landlord permission to grow and adapt the site.
  • Completed a heritage statement and impact report on preserving the Barn’s legacy.
  • Ran Bat Activity Surveys confirming our commitment to local wildlife and conservation.

🤝 A Stronger Team & Fundraising Platform

We welcomed new Trustees with fundraising expertise and created a new project platform ready to launch targeted campaigns, ensuring Dukes Barn continues to thrive and grow in 2025 and beyond.

Together we #LearnThroughAdventure