Registered Charity Number: 1190062

Changing the lives of Birmingham school children since 1915.

‘I was twelve years old when I first attended Bryntail. I had never seen a sheep, I had never walked/run up a mountain, I had never seen a waterfall, I had never jumped into a freezing cold river, I had never been on holiday. It was a life changing experience for me.’

One of Tile Cross's predecessor schools, Central Grammar School, leased Bryntail to provide learning experiences in the countryside for its students. Today, the Bryntail Cottage Charity aims to financially support pupils at Tile Cross Academy to undertake activities in the spirit of Bryntail.

 

                                

‘Some of the happiest days of our innocent schooldays were spent staying at the cottage- no electricity- and walking in the surrounding valleys, another world- idyllic – for us schoolkids from the big city of Birmingham.’

         

‘Lifetime friendships were made, new skills learnt, and adventures shared which are still recounted decades later. It would be wonderful if young people could once again share similar experiences and form similar bonds by visiting this unique place in its beautiful setting.’

The Bryntail Cottage Charity was established to refurbish and redevelop the property enabling its use for another 100 years.  Unfortunately  it became apparent that the land is heavily contaminated with lead and the remediation costs of over £500 000 were impossible to meet.  In August 2026 the Charity Commission agreed on a new charitable purpose:

‘To provide in the interest of social welfare grants for educational, recreational, and other leisure time occupations for children and young persons who by reason of their youth or social and economic circumstances are in need of such opportunities with the object of improving the conditions of life for such children and young persons.’

The charity will now provide funding for pupils from Tile Cross Academy to enjoy adventurous and residential activities 'in the spirit of Bryntail'.

 

More information about the history can be found on the Central Grammar School website http://centralgrammarschool.org.uk/

You can also click here to read about the history of Bryntail.

 

    

 

The Postcode Community Trust

Postcode Community Trust is a grant-giving charity funded entirely by players of People’s Postcode Lottery.  We have received a £20 000 grant from the Trust to refurbish and redevelop Bryntail.

Individual donations can be made through our CAF Donate page.

 

Bryntail – the vision

Click here to see the initial proposals for the redevelopment.

The outcome of the redevelopment will be:

· Complete refurbishment of the fabric of the buildings to comply with current building regulations and listed building status.

· Dormitory accommodation for children in each building to enable coeducational visits.

· Twin ensuite rooms for staff in each building to enable adequate overnight supervision.

· A new kitchen.

· Refurbished ablution block for the children.

· Landscaping of the grounds and removal of the old Portakabin to allow a return to the Bryntail camping heritage.

· New bunk beds and furniture.

· Replacement of the garden fence.

· Environmentally friendly green technology for heating, hot water, and lighting to reduce bills and to act as a teaching resource.