50 Years of Abernethy
1971
The Abernethy Trust is born: Norman Walker, supported by his friends in the Scottish Crusader Bible Class movement, launches the Trust on the 30-acre estate of the old Abernethy Manse in Nethybridge.
1975
Lorimer and Moira Gray and family arrive at Nethybridge and begin working for Abernethy. There are now 5 team members and one Outdoor Activity Centre! This is the start of Lorimer’s 36 years with the Trust – he will lead it until his retirement in 2011.
1981
Miss Mary Currie donates her hotel on the Isle of Arran to the Trust, enabling Abernethy to open a second Centre. Peter and Margaret Jones pioneer the work on this stunning island location.
1984
Abernethy is able to establish a third Outdoor Centre when Barry and Isobel Barrett donate Brae Lodge in Perthshire to the Trust. Phil and Rosemary Simpson take on the running of this wonderful property on the shores of Loch Tay.
1987
The Abernethy Timeshare Lodges are built at Nethybridge. Many of the first families to buy regular weeks at these self-catering lodges still visit each year and continue to support of the work of Abernethy.
1991
Geoff and Celia Burns lease their estate at Kilmalieu on the Ardnamurchan peninsula to the Trust, and this becomes Ardgour, Abernethy’s fourth outdoor centre. A new staff house and dining room extension are added a year later.
1996
The School of Adventure Leadership begins at Nethybridge, and is led for the next 15 years by Barry and Karen Edmondson. Each year a new intake of students are able to gain outdoor qualifications whilst living in community and growing in their Christian faith.
1998
Within two years the School of Adventure Leadership outgrows the accommodation at Nethybridge and moves to Ardgour. The programme covers hillwalking, scrambling, climbing, skiing, snowboarding, navigation, biking, canoeing, kayaking, abseiling and wild camping.
2000
The Millennium Theatre at Nethybridge opens, providing a fantastic facility for larger groups to meet together.
2001
The property on Arran is sold and the proceeds go to support the other Centres. The Tarff Trust gifts Barcaple Outdoor Centre to Abernethy, and Dave and Sylvia Pratt are appointed to lead the work here.
2011
Abernethy celebrates its 40th anniversary by establishing a Bursary Fund. The fund enables guests who could not otherwise afford to come, to visit an Abernethy Centre. Phil Simpson takes over as CEO from Lorimer Gray.
2015
Glen Kin in Argyll, formerly owned and managed by the Glen Kin Trust, is taken on by Abernethy and run as a no-frills bunkhouse. A watersports lochan opens at Barcaple.
2019
Phil Simpson leaves the Trust after 36 years, having served as CEO for the last seven. Mike Causey is appointed as the new CEO.
2020
A climbing wall and sports barn are built at Barcaple. In March, however, all four Centres are hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic which forces them to close to guests for the next 18 months.
2021
The difficult decision is made to sell Ardeonaig to secure the future of the Trust, and there are several changes of staff and leadership. Ed Metcalfe is appointed CEO and begins to rebuild with the help and support of the Trustees, the staff team and friends of Abernethy. We look to God for another 50 years of seeing lives transformed.