More than 30,000 school children undertake outdoor adventure challenges managed by Nottinghamshire County Council each year.
But few people know that the Head of the Outdoor Education Service Phil Baker, has explored the deepest known cave system in the world taking 10 days to descend 2,000m below the surface in Voronja Cave near the Russian border.
Phil and the Outdoor Education team run a wide ranging programme of outdoor activities from a number of bases local to Nottinghamshire including Hagg Farm Outdoor Education Centre in the Peak District, Perlethorpe Environmental Centre, near Newark, and the Mill Adventure Base in Sutton-in-Ashfield. Youngsters can take part in a range of caving, climbing and other outdoor pursuits to help build their self-esteem, confidence, teambuilding skills and enjoy health and educational benefits that enrich their school curriculum.
With the deepest UK caves only 200m deep, Phil was on an international expedition that explored Voronja cave which is close to the Black Sea a couple of years ago and was dubbed ‘Towards the Centre of the Earth’.
Phil (pictured right) has been climbing and caving for 34 years. He has also climbed in the UK, Alps and America including El Capitan in Yosemite, new ice routes in Norway and on Denali in Alaska. 
Councillor Liz Plant, Committee Vice-Chairman for Children’s and Young People’s Services, at Nottinghamshire County Council said: “Thousands of our young people and adults benefit from our outdoor education services with support from highly qualified individuals at the top of their game both in terms of qualifications in climbing, caving, canoeing, orienteering (some in national squads) and mountaineering, and also in terms of their experience on expeditions and events.
“Phil’s achievements as part of the Towards the Centre of the Earth expedition and experiences of other colleagues in our team demonstrate that our young people are in extremely capable hands as they enjoy outdoor education adventures.”
Colleagues in Phil Baker’s team have completed the renowned Bob Graham ultra-distance run in the Lake District (72 miles/27 000 feet of ascent in 24 hours), climbed the highest mountain in Alaska and taken part in many climbing and canoeing trips around the world.
The Outdoor Education team offers high quality inclusive outdoor and environmental learning opportunities to children, young people and communities of Nottinghamshire, through residential and day visits, and to provide training for teachers and leaders to empower them to meet the relevant needs of young people, the wider community and the school’s curriculum – all to help people to fulfil their potential.