Our History
For more than a century, Leeds Children’s Charity at Lineham Farm has been dedicated to giving children across Leeds the opportunity to rest, explore, and grow beyond the challenges they face at home.
Our story is built on the legacy of two remarkable charities – both created by civic leaders who believed every child deserves the chance to thrive. Although they began separately, their missions were closely aligned. In 2020, these two organisations came together to create a stronger charity capable of supporting even more children across the city.
Below, you can explore the history of both organisations before their merger and learn how their shared vision shaped the charity we are today.
Leeds Poor Children’s Holiday Camp Association
Our history begins in 1904, when the Lady Mayoress of Leeds, Helen Currer Briggs, recognised that many children in the city had never experienced a holiday or time away from the hardship of poverty.
Determined to change this, she founded the Leeds Poor Children’s Holiday Camp Association, providing free holidays for children whose families earned less than £1 per week.
Her vision was simple but powerful: every child deserves time to play, breathe fresh air, and experience the joy of being a child.
Over time, the charity grew and evolved. In 2010, it was rebranded as Leeds Children’s Charity, continuing its mission to support children facing disadvantage across Leeds.
The charity focused on children aged 7–13, particularly those who:
Live in poverty
Experience abuse or neglect
Act as young carers for family members
Face difficult or unstable home environments
By providing respite breaks, the charity helped thousands of children experience safety, friendship, confidence and fun away from everyday challenges.
Silverdale: A Century of Children’s Holidays
For many decades, the charity’s residential holidays took place at Silverdale, on the Morecambe Bay coast.
Generations of Leeds children enjoyed seaside breaks there, building friendships and memories that lasted a lifetime.
Despite world wars, political uncertainty and economic challenges, the charity continued its work. It was forced to close only twice in its long history:
1919, following a fire at the Silverdale site
2002, during the UK Foot and Mouth outbreak
In 2015, a major milestone was reached when the charity celebrated taking its 60,000th child on holiday to Silverdale.
However, in 2016, trustees made the difficult but necessary decision to sell the site due to rising operational costs and funding uncertainty. The decision safeguarded the long-term sustainability of the charity and allowed services to continue supporting children who needed them most.
Lineham Farm Children’s Centre
The second part of our story begins at Lineham Farm, just outside Leeds.
The historic farm dates back more than 345 years, with the oldest building – the main farm barn that now serves as the children’s welcome lounge – originating in the 17th century.
The idea for transforming the site into a children’s centre came from Cllr Denise Atkinson MBE, the Lord Mayor of Leeds.
At her inauguration ceremony in May 1992, she challenged the city to help turn the ruined outbuildings of the farm into a holiday and activity centre for disadvantaged children.
With the support of local businesses, volunteers, and significant fundraising efforts, a major renovation project was completed and Lineham Farm Children’s Centre opened in May 1993.
The centre quickly became an important resource for schools and young people across Leeds.
Children visiting the centre experienced:
Outdoor adventure activities
Climbing and bouldering walls
Orienteering and nature trails
Team-building challenges
Time to explore the countryside
The success of Lineham Farm helped inspire the development of similar outdoor education facilities in the city, including Herd Farm Activity Centre.
For more than two decades, Lineham Farm enabled over 1,200 young people each year to take part in outdoor learning, develop confidence, and connect with nature.
A Shared Vision for Children in Leeds
Although they operated independently for many years, Leeds Children’s Charity and Lineham Farm Children’s Trust shared a remarkably similar mission: to support children who needed opportunity, care and encouragement the most.
Both organisations were founded by civic leaders committed to improving the lives of young people in Leeds.
Helen Currer Briggs created opportunities for children living in poverty.
Denise Atkinson championed outdoor learning and adventure for disadvantaged young people.
Their legacies continue to shape our work today.
The Merger: Creating a Stronger Charity
Following the sale of the Silverdale site in 2016, Leeds Children’s Charity began delivering respite breaks across a variety of locations, including Lineham Farm.
Recognising their shared purpose and the opportunity to make a greater impact together, trustees from both organisations began discussions about a potential merger.
In 2020, the two charities officially joined forces and became:
Leeds Children’s Charity at Lineham Farm
The merger created a stronger organisation with a clear mission:
To support more children across Leeds
To provide life-changing experiences through outdoor adventure
To ensure children facing disadvantage have access to opportunities many others take for granted
The Charity Today
Today, Leeds Children’s Charity at Lineham Farm operates from a 120-acre countryside site just outside Leeds, providing a safe and inspiring environment where children can relax, learn and grow.
We support children who may be:
Living in poverty
Experiencing trauma
Acting as young carers
Facing multiple disadvantages
At Lineham Farm, children discover:
Adventure
Friendship
Confidence
Self-belief
Through outdoor activities, residential breaks and supportive experiences, we help young people build the resilience and skills they need for the future.
More than a century after our founding, our mission remains the same:
to ensure every child in Leeds has the opportunity to experience joy, adventure and hope.
