Brathay Trust near Ambleside marks 80 years of supporting young people

Near Ambleside, Brathay Hall has been a place of new beginnings for young people for 80 years. The Brathay Trust, which is based there, reaches its 80th anniversary in 2026, and it remains one of Cumbria's most respected youth charities.

Its story starts with Francis Scott, who bought the Brathay Hall estate in 1939 to protect the area and use it for charitable work. The Second World War forced him to put his plans on hold, but in 1946 the Brathay Hall Trust was founded.

Scott saw a need for leadership training and an activity centre, and offered Brathay Hall as a base for the National Association of Boys' Clubs. That early focus on giving young people experiences and responsibility has shaped the charity's work ever since.

Today Brathay works with some of the most vulnerable and hard-to-reach young people, helping them develop the confidence, motivation and skills they need. Alongside residential programmes at Brathay Hall, it runs community projects across Cumbria, North West England and Yorkshire, with delivery centres in Bradford, Wigan and Ambleside.

The scale of that work is considerable. The charity reports that it reaches around 7,000 young people a year, and for the year ending 31 March 2025 the Charity Commission records total income of £5.4 million. Brathay also runs leadership courses for employers, carrying its experience of personal development into the workplace.

The anniversary is being marked with care for the past as well as the future. A project supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund is conserving Brathay's heritage, and it will culminate in a live outdoor celebration during 2026.

It is worth noting that Brathay Trust is distinct from its neighbour, the Brathay Exploration Group, now the Brathay Exploration Trust, which was founded separately in 1947. Both, though, share a setting that has inspired generations of young visitors.

Anyone interested in Brathay's programmes, its anniversary plans or ways to support the charity can find details through the Brathay Trust and its listing on the Charity Commission register.