Our History and Ethos

Founded in 1976, The Calvert Trust was the inspiration of John Fryer-Spedding, whose vision was to enable people with disabilities to benefit from outdoor activities in the countryside.

Calvert Lakes logoThe Lake District Calvert Trust now employs over 50 permanent staff, and we welcome over 3,500 people every year to our specialist facilities. Our original Calvert Lakes Activity Centre at Little Crosthwaite, above Bassenthwaite Lake, is accessible to people of all ages with sensory, learning or physical disabilities, including those with the most complex needs for which most outdoor centres cannot cater.

Little Crosthwaite is built around an 18th century farmhouse and byre, and can cater for up to 60 guests. Rooms are specifically designed to enable the care of those with profound and complex disabilities with a full range of additional specialist equipment available on request.

The Lake District Calvert Trust’s new ‘Calvert Reconnections’ Centre, on the outskirts of Keswick below the fell of Latrigg, is a new specialist residential unit for those recovering from an acquired brain injury. It is a Grade II listed Tithe Barn and one-time home of Lakeland’s most famous of poets, William Wordsworth. It has undergone a sensitive transformation; the inside the space has been turned into a welcoming ‘home from home’ for up to 10 individuals.

To read more about the history of how the Calvert Trust got its name, the Tithe Barn and Wordsworth’s connections, click here. 

Calvert Reconnections is part of The Lake District Calvert Trust; registered charity no. 270923.

The Calvert Trust has been built upon the spirit of our visitors and continues to concentrate on challenging disability through outdoor adventure, helping our guests find out that “It’s what you can do that counts”.

We have an ethical and sustainable approach to our business, from using local suppliers for our kitchens and local contractors to ensure the smooth running of our facilities, or the use of eco-friendly power and water sources. Everything we do takes into account our environment and sense of place and community.

We also recognise the support we get from the wider Cumbria community, whether for fundraising, which equates to a third of our operating income, volunteers who use their time to help us deliver our activities, or our Trustees who oversee the smooth running of the centre and ensure we deliver our charitable objectives.

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