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My Brathay Story
Your Story Is Our Story

Help us celebrate 80 years of transforming lives by sharing your Brathay experience.

Share Your Story

Brathay Trust is turning 80 – and we’re celebrating by sharing stories from people whose lives have been shaped by Brathay. Whether you joined us in Ambleside, Bradford, Brixton or beyond, we want to hear from you.

Black and white image from 1940s or 1950s. Three young white men. action shot, of the men rowing in a rowing boat on Windermere, a lake in the Lake district. Brathay's boat house and private bay is in the background. They are in old fashioned active wear, jumper and shorts, with ankle high socks.
1950s black and white photo. group of seven young men sat on the step at the front of Brathay Hall. They are tying up their walking boots. They look happy and laughing.
Early walkers on Todd Crag near Brathay Hall

Why Your Story Matters

  • Inspire the next generation of young people
  • Celebrate the impact of Brathay across eight decades.
  • Reconnect with the Brathay community
  • Be part of our anniversary showcase in September 2026

In sharing these stories, we can inspire the next generation – showing them what’s possible when potential is nurtured and resilience is built.

Teresa Jennings, Brathay Trust Chief Executive

Who Are We Looking For?

Have you had a Brathay Trust experience? Then we want to hear from you! We’re looking for people who came to Brathay from every decade – whether you joined a residential, a community programme, or a professional development course. If Brathay played a part in your journey, we’d love to hear from you.

We're already feeling inspired by the many stories that have come in already. Why not take a look!

Brathay Stories

How To Get Involved

  1. Fill out the form below.
    Tell us a little about yourself and your Brathay experience — whether it was a residential, a community programme, or something else.
  2. Let us know if you’d be open to sharing your story as a video or audio.
    We’d be really grateful if you would consider this. We’re looking to bring stories to life in different ways and inspire others through your voice and presence.
  3. Submit your story.
    If you’ve given consent, we’ll likely be in touch to follow up with a few more questions and let you know when your story will be shared.
Let us know who you are.
Just so we can contact you about your story. We won’t share this outside Brathay.
If you'd prefer us to call you. Again, this will stay within Brathay.
You can just give a year or a rough range (e.g. “early 90s” or “2010–2012”). Don’t worry if you’re not sure — an estimate is fine.
Brathay has worked across the UK over the last 80 years — from Ambleside to Bradford, Brixton to Birmingham. We’ve also partnered with schools, youth groups, employers and community organisations. Please tell us a bit about the location or programme you were part of.
Share as much or as little as you’d like for now. We can always follow up later to talk more about your experience.
If you're happy to, please include your emotions at the time, and the skills and knowledge you gained through the programme.
Do you have any photos or videos from your time at Brathay you'd be happy to share?(Required)
Would you be willing to share your story as a video or audio recording?(Required)
We'd be really grateful if you would. We're looking to share stories in different ways to bring them to life and inspire others.
Consent to share your story(Required)
To share your story, we need your consent and confirmation that you are 18 years or older. If you are under 18 but would still like to share your story, please ask a parent or guardian to complete the form on your behalf and provide their contact details so we can get in touch if needed.
Would you like to hear more about our charitable activities?(Required)

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