The village with its own climbing wall - but it needs someone to run it

Climbers at Morley climbing wall enjoying the facility. Photo: Duncan Kerridge (Image: Archant)

The Morley Climbing Wall was created three years ago by volunteers to replace the climbing wall at Wymondham Leisure Centre, funded by Sports England and South Norfolk Council.

But Corinna Pharaoh, a trustee for charity Morley Village and Sports Hall, where it is housed, said it was time for the charity to take a step back from the day to day running of the project, as volunteers struggled to keep up with the demanding hours.

Ms Pharaoh, whose teenage sons are keen climbers, said: "The climbing wall is the result of a lot of work by an incredibly dedicated team of volunteers, who have done a fantastic job. A few years ago, I barely dared dream it could happen. Now we are looking to find a commercial company to hire the wall from us and run it as a business. This reshaping will take the project to the next stage."

According to Ms Pharaoh, working with a partner company would mean opening hours could be extended, allowing weekday sessions for school groups, and team building classes for businesses. The wall, built by Entre-Prises Climbing Walls, is suitable for climbers aged eight plus, and is regularly updated with new climbing routes.

The trustee said the charity hoped to find a company with experience running climbing walls, and said there would be no shortage of custom.

She said: "Currently we have a waiting list because there's not enough volunteer hours in the day to facilitate everyone that wants to use the wall. There are so many benefits of climbing, it's a great way to build confidence, especially for children and adults who are scared of heights. The mental health sector could benefit from such a positive activity too."

Although there is no fixed deadline for finding a business partner, Ms Pharaoh said she hoped to get the ball rolling as soon as possible, to allow the climbing wall to keep growing.