Were You Involved with the Tan Y Bryn Residential and Holiday Home in Abergele?
On Saturday 9 June from 11.00am – 3.00pm at Gwyrch Castle, Abergele the public is invited to an afternoon of fascinating free heritage exploring the links between Tan Y Bryn residential and holiday home in Abergele, North Wales and the 120 year old charity Disabled Living, formerly the Cripples Help Society.
From the late 1940s until the early 1980s, the Manchester based charity ran holidays and residential care for disabled people, working closely with the businesses and community of North Wales. Wales: Tan Y Bryn was a residential and holiday home for disabled adults in Abergele and White Heather in Old Colwyn provided convalescence holidays for disabled children. Trips were also made to Llandudno and Rhyl for groups of adults.
Individuals, community groups and businesses from North Wales helped to raise funds, gave their time through volunteer support for day trips and entertainment, worked as staff or provided essential services for the charity.
Such organisations included the Abergele Women’s Institute Choir, the Red Cross, Round Table, Lions Clubs, Sun Valley Camp, the Ladies Circle, James & Beardmore Auctioneers, Williams’s Boot Stores (Abergele) and Norwest Heating (Colwyn Bay). The local Mothers Union, Young Wives and the Licenses Victuallers Association helped to set up a shop in Tan Y Bryn for the residents.
Since losing the majority of its records in a recent fire, the charity has been working towards rebuilding its heritage and is keen to hear from people in North Wales who remember Tan-Y-Bryn or White Heather or other holidays.
People outside White Heather
The charity invites people to come along, share a panad, chat about their memories of this heritage or simply enjoy the images of North Wales from previous days.
Debra Evans, Disabled Living’s Chief Executive said:
The story of Disabled Living is the story of the people who were involved with the charity from the disabled people who used its services to the volunteers who helped to ensure that the holidays created special memories for both children and adults. People’s memories are what bring the charity to life and we want to have a chance to celebrate and thank the communities in North Wales who helped the charity deliver its services.
Diane Woodrow, Education Officer at Gwyrch Castle said:
It’s wonderful to bring part of Abergele heritage into the castle, states. The links between Disabled Living and the local area go back a long way and capturing those stories is an important part of the locations histories.
The day is part of a larger project supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund
People who are prepared to share their stories, or any photographs or materials they might have about Disabled Living’s heritage, are asked to contact Debra Evans at Disabled Living on 0161 214 5959 or email debra.evans@disabledliving.co.uk. No stories or images will put into the public domain without the written permission of the individual involved.
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