Thomley

What Thomley does

Thomley is a UK registered charity (Charity No. 1089224), operating through Thomley Hall Centre Ltd, that runs a purpose-built accessible leisure and recreation centre in Worminghall, Buckinghamshire. Founded in 1997 by parents of children with autism and complex needs, the facility serves disabled people of all ages alongside their families, carers, schools and community groups, recording more than 15,000 visits by disabled visitors and 22,500+ family/community visits annually. It is the only fully accessible centre of its kind within a 35-mile radius and draws visitors from 22 UK counties.

The core offering is a physical site combining a sensory room, soft play, splash park, adventure woodland, sensory and inclusive play equipment (wheelchair swing, trampolines, zipwire, go-kart track, jumping pillow), activity programmes (cooking clubs, youth clubs, Sports Saturdays, Achieve Life Skills for ages 16–25), and overnight accommodation (three themed camping pods, pitches, bell tents). The technology stack is non-digital: operational delivery rests on accessible built infrastructure and trained staff, with an online booking system, Stripe payments, Mailchimp email, and DigiTickets event ticketing forming the supporting digital layer.

Commercially, Thomley operates a mixed income model combining unit-priced visitor fees (day tickets, camping, birthday parties, venue hire), annual memberships (Black Friday £300/child), government contracts (HAF programme with Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Milton Keynes councils), major grants (a £273,535 five-year National Lottery award in 2024 plus Sport England and DM Thomas Foundation grants), and a sustained community fundraising engine (Accessival Festival, Three Peaks, skydives, school fundraisers). Over 85% of income is spent directly on service provision. Multiple new facilities have opened in 2023–2025 and a new CEO, Warren Koehler, was appointed to oversee the next stage of organisational development.

Name

Thomley

Legal name

Thomley Hall Centre Ltd

Website

https://thomley.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Thomley is a UK-registered charity running a fully accessible leisure and recreation centre in Buckinghamshire for disabled people, their families and carers. It offers sensory play, inclusive activities, overnight accommodation, and government-funded holiday programmes, drawing 37,500+ annual visits from 22 counties.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Accessible recreation and disability leisure services

NAICS

Recreational and Vacation Camps (except Campgrounds) (721214), RV (Recreational Vehicle) Parks and Campgrounds (721211), Accommodation (721)

SIC

Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Family & Recreation Campgrounds (Amenities/Activities Focus) (THAMAJAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Campgrounds & RV Parks (Developed Sites) (THAGAOAA), Adventure Base Camps (Trek/Climb/Expedition Camps) (THAGAOAG)

Keywords

• Accessible recreation services
• Disability leisure facilities
• Sensory room programmes
• Inclusive play center
• Special needs camping

Headquarters

HQ city

Worminghall

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Visitor Entry Fees: Day tickets and entry fees charged to visitors for access to Thomley's facilities and activities. Over 15,000 visits by people with disabilities plus 22,500+ family member visits annually generate revenue.
2. Membership Programme: Annual membership packages offering unlimited visits, access to special days, and sensory room sessions. Black Friday offers mentioned at £300 per child.
3. Camping and Accommodation: Revenue from camping pods, bell tents, and camping pitches. Pods include Enchanted Forest, Hare Hut, and Chill Cabin with minimum two-night stays.
4. Venue and Event Hire: Birthday party bookings, venue hire for events, and facility rental to external parties. Camping available for festivals.
5. Government Grants and Contracts: Funding from National Lottery Community Fund (£273,535 over five years), local authority contracts for HAF programme delivery in Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, and Milton Keynes.
6. Donations and Fundraising: Over 85% of income goes directly on service provision. Includes donations, community fundraising events, skydives, Three Peaks challenges, and festival revenue.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Thomley operates a fully accessible leisure and recreation centre in Buckinghamshire providing day visits, overnight camping, sensory facilities, soft play, splash park, adventure woodland, sports programmes and life skills activities for disabled people of all ages, their families, carers and friends. The charity sells day tickets, annual memberships, camping pod and pitch stays, birthday party and venue hire, gift vouchers, and delivers government-funded HAF holiday programmes and the Accessival community festival.

Product overview

Thomley is a charitable organization providing an accessible leisure and recreation facility for disabled people, their families, carers and friends in Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire. The organization operates on a multi-component model combining day visits, overnight accommodations (camping pods and pitches), specialized sensory facilities, activity programmes, and community events. Core offerings include the sensory room, soft play, splash park, sports facilities, and various activity clubs. Additional services encompass birthday party venue hire, membership packages, venue hire for offices, a charity shop, and gift vouchers. Thomley also delivers targeted social programmes including the Holidays and Food Programme (HAF) for families receiving free school meals, the Holiday Hunger Programme supported by Cash for Kids, evening youth clubs, cooking clubs, and the Achieve Life Skills Programme for 16-25 year olds with autism and learning disabilities. Annual events include the Accessival Festival celebrating accessible community entertainment. Facilities have expanded significantly with National Lottery funding, adding new attractions including a splash park, adventure woodland area, Floor is Lava zone, zipwire, and a private gym partnership (My Fit Pod Oxford East).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• My Fit Pod Oxford East: A private gym facility installed at Thomley, offering accessible and inclusive fitness to the local community and visitors. It is a partnership with My Fit Pod, a social enterprise.

Quantifiable outcome

• More than 15,000 visits by people with disabilities plus 22,500+ family member visits annually
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Rosie Jones FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRosie Jones and foundation representative will be interviewed by Ken Bruce at Accessival Festival 2026. Partnership for festival content and disability advocacy visibility.
• My Fit PodcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to operate 'My Fit Pod East Oxford' private accessible gym on Thomley site. Social enterprise providing inclusive fitness opportunities. Revenue from community bookings supports the charity.
• Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Milton Keynes CouncilscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLocal authority partners delivering HAF (Holiday Activities and Food) programme. Councils fund and refer eligible families to Thomley services.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Broad incumbents

• KIDS: National UK charity working with disabled children and young people across education, leisure, and transition services. Comparable target audience and SEND focus, but broader service portfolio beyond recreation.
• Center Parcs UK: UK family short-break operator with cabins and on-site activities across multiple villages. Overlapping customer base (families seeking UK short breaks) but mainstream rather than specialist disability provider.
• Sense: Major UK disability charity supporting people with complex disabilities, including leisure and social activities. Comparable audience but much larger, multi-service scope and national footprint.
• Leonard Cheshire: Large UK disability charity supporting disabled people including through leisure and short-break services. Comparable beneficiary cohort with much wider service portfolio and national footprint.
• Whizz-Kidz: UK charity providing wheelchairs and mobility services to disabled children, with associated youth and activity programmes. Comparable SEND/youth audience, broader mobility-services scope.

Direct peers

• Calvert Trust: UK charity operating accessible outdoor activity centres (Lake District, Exmoor, Kielder) for disabled people and their families. Directly comparable in mission, operating model, and beneficiary cohort to Thomley.
• Bendrigg Trust: Cumbria-based accessible outdoor adventure centre providing residential and day activities for disabled people of all ages. Closely comparable specialist operator in the disability-accessible recreation niche.
• Revitalise: UK charity providing accessible short breaks and holidays for disabled people and carers. Comparable in delivering inclusive overnight leisure experiences to a similar beneficiary base.

Emerging players

• Forest Holidays: UK cabin and glamping operator in forested locations with family activity offerings. Partial overlap in camping-pod / family short-break segment, but not a specialist disability provider.

Others

• Camping and Caravanning Club: UK membership-based camping organisation operating accessible-certified campsites and member services. Comparable membership-camping model and accessibility infrastructure, but mainstream rather than disability-specialist.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/thomleypublic
• LinkedInuk.linkedin.com/company/thomley?trk=ppro_cprof
• Instagraminstagram.com/thomley_/?hl=en
• Xx.com/Thomley_

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Thomley