TEACHERS, volunteers and parents are campaigning to save an outdoor education centre threatened by cost cutting meansures.

Bournemouth council is considering splitting the educational aspects of Hengistbury Head outdoor education centre's work.

It is discussing the possibility of a company taking over the watersports provision and the leisure services department of the council running the educational side.

Manager of the centre Tricia Zimmerman said: "They are not saying they will close the centre but they are planning to split the watersports provision from the environmental education when we think they work very nicely together."

The centre was lined up for a lottery grant but this has now been diverted to other projects.

Roger Furniss has been a volunteer assistant at the centre for eight years.

He said: "There is a proposal to downgrade the staffing of the centre which would be transferred from education to the leisure division.

"Whichever way it goes, the centre is likely just to fade away and what was once described as the jewel in Bournemouth's crown will be lost to all of us for good."

Watersports enthusiast Lindsay Powell, of Iford, is concerned that if that watersports and education are provided by different organisations, both with fail.

She said: "Watersports under a commercial provider will be more expensive and the environmental education is also at risk if split from the other activities because the wardens already have a full time job and are not teachers.

"The council plan lacks any understanding of education and the fact that the sum of the whole is greater than simply watersports plus environmental education.

"The council has not considered the team work, confidence building and life skills that the centre offers, the long term provision of services and the fact that service should be available to all residents at affordable prices.

"I want to see full consideration of all other options and not simply a quick buck for the council with no thought to the future."

Teacher Dave Evans, of Broadstone, has used the centre on many occasions in the course of his work and with his own children.

He said: "At a time when we have suddenly noticed that a lifestyle dominated by Playstations and TV is damaging the health of today's young people, it would seem to be an act of supreme folly to lose such a wonderful resource."