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 is looking to restore the cottage and the surrounding land so that  young people from across Birmingham can have access to this place once again. Especially given the historic link, Tile Cross Academy and Washwood Heath Multi Academy Trust look forward to this happening.

 

                                

‘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 is refurbishing and improving the property to secure its legacy for another 100 years.

The new charity will also widen access to other Birmingham schools and youth groups serving disadvantaged young people.

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.

Watch the video below to see how Bryntail has changed the lives of Birmingham children since 1915.

 

 

    

Securing the legacy of Bryntail for the next 100 years

 

The charity has launched a campaign to ensure that future generations of young people will continue to have life changing experiences at the cottage.  For the last 105 years improvements and maintenance has been conducted by adult volunteers – enthusiastic amateurs.  The time has come for professional expertise to refurbish the fabric of the buildings, not least because they are now grade two listed because of their mining heritage.  In addition the facilities need to be improved to enable as wide a spectrum of children and adult supervisors to access the experience – not just the hardiest!  Everybody has their own personal journey to make outside their comfort zone.  The garden needs landscaping work done to secure the boundary and allow a return to the cottage’s roots by enabling it to host camping in the grounds.

The work can be done in stages and the trustees are applying to grant making trusts to support the work.  We are already grateful for the support of the following organisations:

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.