Spirit lives on at Bowles

The memory of a much loved instructor at an outdoor centre burns brightly.

Bowles outdoor centre near Tunbridge Wells has a brand new treasure “The Croft” – a place to shelter from the rain, tell stories, relive adventures, learn bush-craft or simply to enjoy a warm fire.
This amazing natural structure of “The Croft” was put together by the staff of Bowles in memory of Tony Croft, a popular local resident and respected member of the team at Bowles for some 8 years. Tony sadly died  at the age of just 25 in a car accident on the A26. The Croft has been built in his memory and was completed in July 2011.
The inspiration of the Croft came from Richard Hardwick, the Director of Bowles who masterminded the project coupled with the enthusiasm and expertise of the team at Bowles. The structure was lovingly crafted over the course of a year by Rob Dick-Cleland ably assigned by some of the instructor’s onsite “a challenge and satisfying project to build” commented Rob.
The stunning new structure is in the woods at Bowles, a woodland sculpture with a living roof and made from locally sourced materials including chestnut, ash and hazel. It is now ready for use by groups visiting Bowles.
“Tony is fondly remembered and sourly missed by all of the team at Bowles. A key member of the ski team, who was keen on developing young people both in the centre and in the local community. Tony was often known to help out on all activities in the centre such as rock climbing, canoeing and orienteering as well as encouraging young people that visited the local skate park in his spare time” added Richard.