The country’s largest housebuilder has launched a £1m partnership with an outdoor organisation which works with young people in Cumbria.

Barratt Developments has launched the new three year partnership with The Outward Bound Trust.

The Outward Bound Trust helps young people make positive changes in their lives through learning and adventures in the outdoors.

The new partnership will support 2,400 young people to develop their employability skills and prepare them for the world of work.

The work will cover three main areas; providing funding to disadvantaged young people for residential courses, placing Barratt employees on the courses as mentors, and hosting the annual ‘Big Barratt Hike’ with Outward Bound.

To help launch the partnership chief executive David Thomas visited the Ullswater centre where he met with Outward Bound chief executive Nick Barrett and saw first-hand how the organisation's courses help young people build and develop new skills.

Outward Bound has three centres in Cumbria at Ullswater, nearby Howtown, and Eskdale.

Nick said: “We are incredibly proud to be entering into our partnership with Barratt Developments.

"It’s clear that they are as passionate as we are about creating a lasting impact on young people’s lives.

"This partnership will make a huge difference and we cannot thank everyone at Barratt enough.”

David added: “The Outward Bound Trust does amazing work transforming the lives of young people, giving them the confidence and practical skills to help them reach their full potential.

"We are excited to become partners, providing funding for new residential courses, involving our own ex Armed Forces employees as mentors, and using The Outward Bound Trust’s practical expertise with our annual charity fundraiser – The Big Barratt Hike.”

In 2018, 23,379 young people attended an Outward Bound course. It also has centres in Snowdonia, at Aberdovey and Ogwen Cottage, and in the Highlands at Loch Eil.