The Summer Camps Trust
Why we exist
The Trust believes that well-run residential summer camps are a uniquely happy and valuable experience for the children and young adult leaders who take part.
A typical summer camp brings together 40 – 50 young people from all kinds of schools and all parts of the country. For a week or so during school holidays they come together in a residential centre to share an exciting child-centred holiday.
In a rural setting, away from screens, social media and the pressures of everyday life, the young people quickly become a happy and supportive community. They make new friends with peers they might never otherwise have met, and enjoy a wide range of imaginative camp activities - from all kinds of games and crafts to singing round the camp fire, telling stories by torchlight and exploring the woods. Above all they have the freedom to be active, have fun, and enjoy spending time together in the outdoors.
In most summer camps, children are divided into small groups of 8 or 10, often by age, with a young adult leader allocated to each group. These young leaders, usually aged 17 to 25, have undertaken a full residential week of training, and work hard at getting to know the children in their group to enable them to get the most from the summer camp. Many parents comment afterwards on the warm and caring relationship their children have had with the young leaders. The leaders also act as “animateurs” generating enthusiasm for all the camp activities.
Overseeing and supporting the young leaders will be a Directing Team who are all experienced summer camp leaders who have undergone additional extensive training. There will also be a full catering and domestic staff, plus a Matron to see to any health matters which may arise.
With over 60 years of experience, the Trust’s organisers have seen tens of thousands of young people thrive at summer camp - enjoying the fun, laughter and genuine happiness that camp brings, whilst gaining confidence, independence and lasting personal benefits along the way. In today’s world we see too many children who could benefit enormously from such experiences having no chance to access them.
The Trust’s aim is to find ways of enabling many more children from all kinds of schools and social backgrounds in the UK to experience the fun, the happiness, and the many benefits summer camps provide.
What We Do
CAMPS
We run a number of camps ourselves, to showcase all that summer camps can offer. Cost is kept as affordable as possible, to encourage parents who have never considered summer camps before to give their children the opportunity of a new and exciting experience.
For more information, please click here
ORGANISATIONS & SUPPORT
We connect with other organisations who run summer camps, or who might want to start doing so, with the aim of encouraging more high-quality summer camp provision across the UK. The Trust has a growing subscribing membership, of organisations who support and work with us to raise the profile of summer camps.
For more information, please click here
ADVOCATE
We keep in touch with government departments and other official bodies, advocating for greater access to residential experiences, and particularly summer camps, for young people across the UK. We are talking to those developing the government Strategy for Youth, and the Enrichment programme, sharing our experience and expertise, and exploring how our work can contribute to making these programmes as effective and impactful as possible.
TRAINING
We run seven-day residential training courses for young adults aged 17 and over who are wanting to work as volunteer summer camp leaders. The trainees develop insights and skills that enable them to work successfully at camp, and can also benefit their future lives and personal development.
For more information, please click here
The Trust is a CIO charity, run by a Board of Trustees, including one each from the three main political parties. Our President is Baroness Estelle Morris, a former Secretary of State for Education.
For a list of Trustees, please see our Governance & Members page.
