The Christian Mountain Centre / CMC : Pensarn Harbour

“If I could, I would send every young person I know to CMC because I know they would be cared for, encouraged and supported. They would be offered opportunities to realise their own abilities and recognise their own potential. As a parent, I am immensely grateful that my children got to experience the care, acceptance and encouragement that CMC offers, because I know it is another step in their journey to being amazing adults.”

A Parent of children who visited CMC.  August 2023

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CMC Adventure has been serving, developing and growing since 1966. Our Founder, Mike Perrin once wrote “Could there be a place for such a centre run by Christians, who were skilled to safely oversee and instruct others and at the same time, share their faith with them, by their own testimonies and experiences of Christ?” Those ponderings became a reality that still serves over 2000 a year, today. What started in a humble, rented farm cottage in Beddgerlert forest, moving then to “Gorffwysfa” in Tremadog, CMC’s home is now Pensarn Harbour, since moving in 1998 and taking over responsibility of the Bryn y Moel centre just up the hill a year later. Both centres were previously run as the Ranch Adventure Centres by the Northampton Association of Youth Clubs.

We are fortunate to have access to incredible locations to deliver life changing, high quality adventurous activities and to have the most amazing centres that provide the safe space for our guests’ outdoor challenges and growth. We are blessed year on year with a brilliant, authentic and caring staff team who welcome everyone to the centre. We aim to share our Christian faith with gentleness and respect,

But, we are in the middle of a perfect storm that jeopardises our very existence!

(Thank you for reading this far, I will try to be succinct, however the challenges we face are complex, so please do keep reading.)

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There are 2 points we really need help with.

1. We have a mortgage on our Bryn y Moel Centre. At the time of purchase in 2012, a mortgage was cheaper than our rent! Recently, interest rates have increased dramatically, and we are now paying an additional £10,000 a year in interest, compared to lockdown. Since our AGM in April 2024, our amazing friends and members have donated a total of £76,000 specifically to reduce this financial burden - and we couldn't thank you more! 

This leaves a balance of £150,000. If through donations, we can pay off this mortgage, it will free up approximately £40,000 a year in repayments and interest going forward! This will make a huge difference to our cash flow and our financial sustainability... Could you join others in making a long-term difference by helping us clear this mortgage? Could you undertake a sponsored event to raise funds? Could you ask others to help?

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2. Costs have gone up, as I am sure you are aware. Everything is considerably more expensive than prior to the Pandemic. This has a double impact on us. CMC's costs go up and at the same time so does the cost of living for families. This leaves less money to be spent on school trips and visits. Our groups are therefore bringing less pupils, which is severely impacting our income, by as much as 25% for some bookings. This has meant that we are more and more reliant on an overdraft facility to get us through the quieter months. 

Due to recent changes in our bank's policies, we need to find £50,000 very quickly to remove this reliance, reduce our vulnerability and secure our future... Could you offer a regular amount to help with increased ongoing costs such as fuel, electricity, laundry etc? Could you fund equipment purchases, so the centre can remain as affordable as possible? Could you subsidise a group financially? 

5 Mattresses and pillows costs us £420

12 Climbing Helmets costs us £550

20 Pairs of quality walking boots costs us £2,000

A fleet of Kayaks costs us around £4,000

£8,000 would be the equivalent of a 50% subsidy for a primary school group from an impoverished area. 

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Throughout the nearly 60 years that CMC has been enriching outdoor education, we have been wholly supported by the generosity of individuals, people like yourselves, who feel moved to invest in the young people and adults who visit us. We are so grateful for this incredible support and we never take for granted how blessed we are. We humbly ask that you might consider answering our call in this time of need. In those who come to CMC, we see confidence built, challenges met and fears overcome. We thank God and give Him the glory for all those special moments over so many years. 

Please, please help us to keep helping those who can afford a stay with us the least. The support we have had to date is the very reason we are still here! It has enabled us to reach out to thousands of people, providing them with support, skills, adventure and hope for their future. It’s because of people like you that so many lives have been changed through staying at CMC, which has first and foremost always been, God’s centre.

Thank you for taking the time to read this. If you would like to discuss things further, please do contact me on 01341 241646 or [email protected]

Many thanks in advance, 

Mark Downey, CEO

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