Avalon Camps, a local charity based in Mark near Burnham-On-Sea, which gives deserving children from Bristol an opportunity to have a holiday in the countryside, has recruited 38 young people aged 17 and 18 to volunteer as Young Leaders.
The majority of the Young Leaders are using the residential experience to fulfil requirements of their Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award requirement and come from schools and colleges across Somerset.
Cath Clark, Duke of Edinburgh Operations Officer for Somerset, says: “Often one of the issues with young people completing their Gold Award can be finding an affordable residential. Avalon Camps provides a fantastic opportunity for these young people to complete their residential at no cost, and get well fed to boot.”
George Osborne, Trustee of Avalon Camps, adds: “The care and commitment of these young people who volunteer never fails to amaze me, without them the Camp wouldn’t be able to carry on its great work.”
The cost of running the annual camp this year (for 64 young children) will be around £18,000 – all of which goes towards ensuring the children have fun, learn new things and are taken care of in a safe and caring environment; all of the Camp Leaders (young people and adults), Trustees and the (nearly 200) Volunteers give their time for free. Donations or offers of help can be made via here.
All the deserving children attending come from the Hartcliffe and Withywood areas of Bristol BS13 which is in the bottom 5% of deprived areas in the UK.
All children selected by their schools are children who would gain the most from a free residential experience.
Also see:
Local charity provides activity camps for children from underprivileged areas of Bristol
