Holiday chalet project is here for the long haul

One of Oldham’s most cherished civic figures, Honorary Alderman Ellen Brierley, wanted to make her mark as the first Mayor of the newly-created Oldham Metropolitan Borough in 1974.

She began raising money for two chalets to give some of the borough’s poorest children the chance of their first holiday and to see the sea for the first time. She decided on the project in 1973 as deputy mayor. Almost 40 years later, a dedicated committee still runs the Oldham Children’s Holiday Homes Project. Janice Barker found out why the chalets are needed now as much as ever.

Two miles out of the historic Welsh town of Caernarfon, deep in the countryside by a trout river and fishing lake, two wooden chalets have been a home from home for hundreds of Oldham children.

They were bought in 1976 at the Glan Gwna Holiday Park with £30,000 raised by the Mayor, Councillor Ellen Brierley, and her dedicated team.

Miss Brierley, as she is always called, was one of the borough’s best known teachers, and her former Northmoor School pupil Freda Millett was one of the first people she called on to help with fund-raising in 1973.

Some 37 years later, Freda is still on the charity’s committee, as secretary.

Miss Brierley, now 96 and a resident at Millfield, the Anchor Housing development for older people in Waterhead, is still honorary chairman.

But the committee has had a new lease of life with new members recently appointed including Janet Cook, formerly a teacher at Greenhill Community School and now in Middleton, as chairman.

Over the years, the chalets have provided holidays for 1,500 children. Around 120 per season enjoy them today.

Freda, best known for her work with Oldham museum and for her books on Oldham’s social history, recalled: “On the opening day the children piled off the coach and there were no trainers or fleeces in those days.

“The boys all wore short pants and knee-length socks.

“They were so excited and Miss Brierley, who always thought of these things, had made up a bag of sweets for each of them.

“One little lad shouted ‘look it’s the sea!’ but he was by the paddling pool. Most items in the chalets were donated, such as bedding and blankets. I made the curtains.

“I even worried about toilet rolls — so I went to Bowater Scott who had a factory in Oldham and asked them for a year’s supply!”

At first, children were chosen by their teachers. Many of Oldham’s special schools used the chalets for trips.

Now more groups and families use them, as Janet explained: “Groups are nominated through schools, and a lot of families go.

“We also take groups at weekends, and the special schools used to come in school time, in June or early July.

“But there has been a horrendous rise in litigation. People have been reluctant to take children off-site.

“Now getting outdoors is a priority again — we have child obesity, the ‘cotton wool kids syndrome’ — we are now obliged to offer off-site learning as part of the national curriculum.”

Community cohesion has been another benefit, said Janet. She used to be an area youth officer and started taking teenagers away to Wales from Freehold Youth Club.

She said: “That was a whole new type of deprivation, for children from incoming communities, who had very limited experience.

“This increased after the race riots in 2001 when people highlighted community cohesion and it became more important to get children from Glodwick out and mixing with host communities.”

All children have the same first reaction when they get to Glan Gwna, explained Janet.

“The first thing they do is take their shoes and socks off and run in the grass!

“The site is fabulous, and the chalets have full disabled access, carpets, curtains and TVs. They are in the grounds of a wonderful old hall and there is a heated open air pool, a fishing pond and a play area.

“Miss Brierley was interested in the dignity of children. One of the reasons she didn’t want somewhere with rides and fairgrounds was so that the children wouldn’t be sorry they hadn’t got the money to go on them.”

The charity’s future was secured by the initial fund-raising, which as well as buying the chalets left money invested for the future.

Many Oldham Mayors and Mayoresses have since been supporters of the chalet holidays, including Councillor Peter Dean and his wife Susan, and the late Norman Bennett and Elsie Shaw.

Freda added: “There must be lots of people whose lives have been touched by the charity. It gives children a form of independence while they are still looked after, like a long piece of string.

“It is one of Miss Brierley’s best achievements.”

For more information contact Janet on 07973-163876.