The following information is to help you know about our camps so you can book with us.
What does the price include?
The price shown for our camps is inclusive of board, accommodation and all activities unless clearly stated otherwise, from the time of arrival to the time of departure. However some pocket money is usually advised for small items such as tuck shop sweets, drinks or postcards to send home.
What about travel?
Parents and guardians are responsible for travel arrangements to and from the camps start point, and the cost of this is not included in the fee unless clearly stated. Lift sharing may be possible amongst families, and pickups from local public transport stations can usually be arranged – please speak to your Booking Secretary for more information on these.
For Camp Saint Sophrony, we arrange two coaches. One collecting people from North London. Another from Birmingham. Details about booking onto the coaches is available via the Camp Saint Sophrony page.
Information and Kit List
Information and kit list packs are normally sent out about eight weeks before the start of the camp.
Follow the link below for the kit list:
Our team
Our team, who give their time voluntarily, are carefully selected and supervised and are subject to an Enhanced Disclosure issued by the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) as well as specific Child Protection training before the holiday. There is a high ratio of adult team to participants, usually 1:4.
All of our camps have a priest in charge who is appointed by His Eminence Archbishop Nikitas of Thyateira and Great Britain. The priest in charge is supported by coordinators, a designated safeguarding lead and logistics teams.
The Orthodox Christian context
First and foremost, we appoint leaders who are committed Orthodox Christians striving to be good examples for the campers. Through the leader’s example of sacrificial love, the children have good role models to look up to in working out their own Christian lives.
We have a strong teaching team with a priest who is in overall charge of the camp and sisters from the Monastery of Saint John the Baptist in Essex. The clergy and sisters set the theme of camp and prepare daily teaching for the children.
We have daily morning and evening worship, Divine Liturgy on Sundays and Feast days and prayers in the refectory before and after every meal.
What about safety?
All outdoor pursuit activities are carried out under qualified supervision. All licensed activities are provided by qualified third parties and we perform appropriate due diligence.
Smoking is not permitted and no alcohol is permitted anywhere or at any time on the camps.
Health and diet
Each camp has at least one designated first aider with a current First Aid qualification. We require you to inform us of any health problems the participant may be experiencing or any medication being taken before the holiday.
Menus are drawn up with regard to providing balanced meals with adequate quantities for people of different ages. If we are informed of special dietary requirements in advance we can normally cater for them.
All camps provide adequate rest and have a ‘lights out’ time suitable for the age group.
Mobile phones
Unless there are overriding medical reasons for having a mobile phone (eg Type 1 diabetic), mobile phones are not permitted at our camps. On arrival, all mobile phones will be collected from campers and placed in a sealed and labelled bags and kept in a secure location.