Gulliver's Valley hosts Duke and Duchess on flying visit to Rotherham

A new immersive learning destination at a Rotherham theme park welcomed prestigious visitors today - Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh.

The Duke and Duchess were shown around Skills Street CIC, located at Gulliver’s Valley theme park, to get a first-hand look at the groundbreaking education and training environment.

The centre, which is designed to revolutionise how young people engage with careers and skills development, has a focus on hands-on, curriculum-linked experiences. It opened for initial visits earlier this year and is now welcoming schools, colleges, and educational groups.

A highlight was the opportunity to show Their Royal Highnesses the Skills Street aviation experience, which offers students a full airport simulation - from check-in to boarding a real Boeing 737 fuselage and flying an industry-standard simulator. Visitors can also explore historic Rolls-Royce and Vulcan aircraft engines and learn about careers in aviation, engineering, travel, and tourism.

The visit also saw local primary and secondary school pupils involved in skills activity across six industry learning zones.

Julie Dalton, managing director of Gulliver’s Theme Park Resorts and a board member of Skills Street, said: “What an honour to have welcomed Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh to Skills Street. We were so pleased to meet them and showcase the amazing facility we have built here in Rotherham. They were extremely receptive to the aims of Skills Street as we develop new ways to help young people engage with careers and skills development, as well as our exciting plans for future growth.”

Skills Street features a wide range of sector-themed zones developed in partnership with leading organisations, including:

- Energy with E.ON – exploring renewable energy
- Health & Social Work with the NHS and Rotherham Council – showcasing over 380 career pathways
- Construction with Esh Group showcasing all aspects of the construction Industry
- Advanced Manufacturing with Gripple – focusing on robotics and automation

James Beighton, development manager at Skills Street, said: “To welcome Their Royal Highnesses to Skills Street was an absolute privilege. What a fantastic way to showcase the work happening locally to support the needs of education, business and communities across South Yorkshire. Days like today are proof of what we can achieve, working together to inspire our next generation workforce and stimulate our local economy, one skill at a time”.

Skills Street is part of a wider £20m investment by Rotherham Council to boost skills and leisure opportunities in the region.

Skills Street website
Gulliver’s Valley website