About the Trust
When Bersham Colliery closed in 1986, Ted McKay negotiated with British Coal to retain the No.2 headgear and winding house. These were later scheduled as Historic Monuments. Over the next 14 years, Ted and Glyn Cooper (ex-fitter) did some work on site to preserve what they could of rapidly disappearing mining equipment in North Wales
In 2000, members of Shropshire Mines Trust met with Ted McKay and Glyn Cooper and the Bersham Colliery Trust Ltd was formed to preserve the site and coal mining remains in the area. A lot of work was done inside the engine house to clean the winding engine and rooms.During Heritage Day in September 2000, an open day was held when a number of local people came to view the site
It was hoped that more local people would join the Trust and help to make the engine house and headgear into a small mining museum. At that time, unfortunately, there was insufficient local interest to make it a viable organisation so the original Trust ceased in 2001. Ted McKay continued to take school parties around the site for a few years until the state of the building became too dangerous
In 2009, a number of ex-miners and other residents realised that they had to preserve something of their coal mining heritage before it all disappeared. A new organisation was thus formed called North Wales Miners Association Trust Ltd to preserve the coal and metal mining remains in the area . There were plans, drawn up under Clwyd Council, to open what was left of Bersham Colliery as a museum but these have not been carried out and the Trust regularly contacts the current authority regarding the condition of the engine house and headframe.
The Trust aims to promote the preservation of remaining mine artefacts and record our mining heritage for future generations and also act as a pressure group regarding the preservation of other buildings such as the Mines Rescue Station in Wrexham.
The Trust is a charitable limited company registered with the Charity Commission.