By Geoff Fisher 
Whitwell Hall Country Centre has been placed into administration. All four employees, who say they were given no notice of the decision, have already, or are expected to be, made redundant.
The centre offered educational and countryside experiences to school groups with camping, accommodation and catering facilities, and was also used for church retreats, scouting camps, weddings and private functions.
Whitwell Hall also operated the Reepham Rover, which is used for local transport of disabled and elderly residents and local community groups, and organised the Wednesday Lunch Club at the King’s Arms.
In a letter sent to some centre users, manager John McKean said: “You can imagine the heartbreak that we are going through; not only is this our place of work, but for Paula, Emily and myself, it’s our home.
“The disappointment and sadness in not being able to run the Rover, have our trips and lunches, see you all on a weekly basis and hear your laughter is difficult to stomach. I am yet to inform all our schools and site users as this action will shock many.
“The feeling that we are letting our community down is a heavy burden and one that will live with us all. We glean some solace that as a team we have tried, but our employers, the directors of Whitwell, have let us all down. Not one of them had the decency to inform us of their proposed action last Wednesday [3 December].”
Whitwell Hall was acquired by educational charity Forest School in 1938. After the Second World War, the hall was increasingly used for holiday camps and staff training courses, before being renamed Whitwell Hall Country Centre.
In 2014, it merged with the Reepham Patient Care Fund, which provides mobility equipment and social welfare support for sick, disabled and vulnerable groups in the local GP catchment area.
Photo: Whitwell Hall Country Centre