Andrew Bingham MP

The High Peak has been announced as the home of YHA’s flagship Youth Hostel. To mark the accolade, the new £2 million Youth Hostel, at Losehill Hall in Castleton, was officially opened by Tim Loughton MP, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Children and Families, on Tuesday 1st May 2012.

Losehill Hall was previously owned and run by the Peak District National Park Authority (PDNPA) as an education centre. It was purchased from PDNPA by YHA in 2011 and has undergone an extensive 12-month refurbishment programme to transform it into a 144-bed, 36 room, environmental learning, residential and activity centre for young people and holiday-makers.

Planting an apple tree in the grounds of the Youth Hostel to commemorate the official opening, Tim Loughton MP said: “YHA, and the hands-on experiences it offers children through its Youth Hostel network, gives young people real life experience. It triggers their imagination, encourages teamwork and really brings them out of their shells. It is a great example of the National Citizen Service in action.”

YHA (England and Wales) Chief Executive Caroline White commented: “YHA Castleton Losehill Hall sets the benchmark for Youth Hostels. The accommodation and resources are world-class and enable us to continue providing a really unique experience in the Derbyshire countryside to all users.”

More than 200 children from six schools were on site taking part in learning-based activities during the minister’s visit to YHA Castleton Losehill Hall. Activities at the Youth Hostel include archery, gem panning, battle re-enactment and beer making at the Hostel’s onsite brewery as part of GCSE Science projects.

Mr Loughton MP added: “YHA, and the activities it provides young people, is a great example of how kids’ imaginations can be inspired and engaged without the use of computer games and DVDs.”

While re-enacting a battle scene with Year 3 youngsters from Lower Place School in Rochdale, Mr Loughton also commented that it was; “refreshing to see Health & Safety policy not preventing kids doing what they do naturally.”

The officially opening of YHA Castleton Losehill Hall was attended by a number of YHA trustees and groups in Derbyshire and South Yorkshire, who have helped transform of the former Gothic mansion and its grounds into a world-class Youth Hostel, including PDNPA, Sheffield Children’s University and Bolsover Woodland Enterprise.

Andrew Bingham, MP for the High Peak, also attended the official opening. He commented: "I'm delighted that the minister found time in his busy schedule to come to the High Peak to officially open Losehill Hall, and to see what a fabulous facility it has become for the Youth Hostel Association. Not only will it benefit the many tourists who flock to the High Peak, but it will also provide a great boost to the local economy."

It is expected the resources and accommodation at YHA Castleton Losehill Hall will be used by around 22,000 people, more than half of whom are expected to be young people, over the next 12 months.

YHA Castleton Losehill Hall stands in beautiful formal gardens and is surrounded by 27 acres of peaceful parkland with woods and streams. As well as running educational activities, YHA Castleton Losehill Hall offers a huge programme of outdoor and indoor activities for young people and families throughout the year.

Andrew has recently welcomed the news that Whaley Bridge Town Council has secured £39,980 of Olympic legacy funding from Sport England’s Inspired Facilities Fund.

The Inspired Facilities fund is part of the £135 million Places People Play legacy programme that is bringing the magic of a home Olympic and Paralympic Games into communities across the country. Every sports facility that receives funding will carry the London 2012 Inspire mark – celebrating the link to the Games.

The project, completed this week, has seen the complete replacement of an unusable hard macadum surfaced Multi Use Games Area with a 40mm 3G multi-sport ‘FieldTurf’ artificial grass surface, one of the best and most modern in Derbyshire. New fencing has been put in place, and disability access to the MUGA and nearby Pavilion has been greatly improved. The lighting has been renewed, and many other improvements incorporated in the £155K project which has transformed the facility.

Cllr Jon Goldfinch, Chair of Whaley Bridge Town Council, said:

"We are absolutely delighted with the funding from Sport England, and cannot thank them enough for the difference it will make to the generations of children who will be lucky enough to make use of the fantastic 40mm third generation artificial grass pitch that we have now been able to build using this money.

"It has taken just under three years of hard effort to get to this point, but as we look across the spectacular 3G surface and facility that Sport England have helped us to put in place, it makes every second of those three years more than worth it.”

Andrew congratulated all those involved in the bid and applauded their success:

“It's great to see the benefit of the Olympics here in the High Peak. Whilst most of the Games will be taking place in and around London, I am pleased that the Olympic legacy spreads much further with High Peak residents getting benefit from what will doubtless be a great spectacle this summer."