## **THE SUMMER CAMPS TRUST**
President: Baroness Estelle Morris PC
Chair: Ian Lewis FRSA
Co-ordinator: Chris Green MBE
Kildare, Manby Road, MALVERN, WR14 3BD (01684-577033) E-mail: chris@summercampstrust.org.
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Reg Charity No: 1162580
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## **The Summer Camps Trust Annual Report October 2024 / September 2025**
1. The Summer Camps Trust has been pleased to have been in contact with the Department for Culture Media and Sport during their preparation of the new government Strategy for Youth. The document was finally published in the autumn of 2025, and the Trust endorses much of what is in it, while still pushing for a mention at least of the value of residential opportunities, and if possible of summer camps. Conversations with the DCMS will continue in subsequent years during the roll out of various parts of the Strategy.
2. The Trust ran a very successful seven-day training week at Easter 2025 for 24 17 to 25 year-olds training to become volunteer summer camp leaders, at The Elms School in Colwall near the Malvern Hills. We also ran one TryOut camp for 30 9 to 15 year-olds, also at The Elms, and also very successful.
- Recruitment for the type of camp run by the Trust, with no headline outdoor activity like canoeing and rock climbing, is becoming harder year by year. This is a great pity, since the benefits of “our” kind of summer camp (a screen-free week in a rural area, the chance to play and have fun, to make new friends and to experience happy life in a community, a boost to personal growth and confidence as well as to mental and physical health) have never been more needed than they are by British young people today.
3. The financial year 1.10.24 to 30.9.25 was a good one, largely due to around £15,000 raised by the Co-ordinator’s sponsored walk of the Malvern Hills to coincide with his ninetieth birthday. He was accompanied on the walk by a large number of current or one-time summer camp leaders. Losses incurred on the previous financial year were paid off, and the year ended with a good surplus. At least half the money raised on the walk is earmarked for subsidising children from poorer backgrounds to attend summer camps.
4. The Trust was delighted to welcome as new members during the year: Volleyball Development Camps, Black2Nature, The Woodcraft Folk, and Kirklees Summer Play Scheme Camps. Sadly, two of our original and largest members ceased trading during the year; The National Citizens’ Service was closed by government, and Kingswood / Inspiring Learning became insolvent, having not recovered from the setback of the Covid years
5. We welcomed three new Trustees during the year, Scott Taylor, who took over the role of active leader representative from Hannah Peart, Felix Pepler a free-lance educationist and organiser, and Chloe Bent, a former summer camp director, now a university lecturer in social work and the Trust’s new Head of Safeguarding.
6. We were grateful for the continuing help of The Huxley Trust, which has supported the Trust’s operations, and its ability to offer a limited number of subsidised places to poorer families over the past five years.
7. The Trust now needs to find, either from government or a grant-giving Trust, core funding to enable it to be established as a properly run organisation, with new staff to replace the current volunteer structure, and resources to run campaigns of PR on the many and important benefits of summer camps to our nation’s children and young adults, and the many valuable spin-offs to schools, to youth work in general, to parenting skills and management skills, that would accrue if we had in the UK, as they have in many other countries, a proper national system of well-run residential summer camps. Substantial efforts will be made in the next year or two to access such funding.
The Summer Camps Trust
Sheet i
Registered Charity no. 1162580
Annual attounts for the 12 Months to September 30th 2025
Section A". Statement of financial artl¥ttles
12 fftths to
3010912025
12 mths to
3010912024
INCOME RECEIVED
Sub5crlptions from members
Donations '. Bi8 Walk for Klds at Nlnety
Oonatlons General including Gift Aid
Try out Camps
Volunteer lejder training
Book sales
Other
1.71XJ.fJ)
Is,coJ.oJ
5,299.90
15.IS9.59
L400.
5,907.42
18,774.86
249.14
Ico.0)
20B.13
585.fxl
37.508.63
26.875.41
EXpENDVRE
C•ntral Administratlon
Salary and on co
Insurances
Advertising cost Includlng webslte
tsook eos
Tryout camps
Volunteer leader trJlnin8
959.03
3.906.CQ
619.63
1,473.59
5.90B.C
609.63
270.CQ
66.th)
23,843.28
99.39
19.944.06
25,642.11
32,170.50
Net IncomellExpendlturel
IL866.52
-5.295.09
Total funds brought forward
Total funds carried fon¥ard
4.481.05
7.385A7
814.04
4,481.05
Sectlon 8 . Balano sheet
3010912025
10912024
Stock
Trade Debtors
Cash at Barsk
6,360.61
154.45
9,177.69
6,460.(K)
1.28&10
Total currentAssets
.69175
7,74&10
Trade creditor5 and accruals
Deposits held
.3.886.87
4282.28
4282.2A
Net A55ets
7,385.47
4,481.05
CHARITY COMMISSION
FOR ENGLAND AND WALES
Independent examiner's report on the
accounts
Section A
Independent Examiner's Report
Report to the trustsesl
member5 of
Summer Camps Trust
On accounts for the year
ended
3010912025
Charity no
(If any)
1162580
sot out on pages
Sheet 1
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts oflhe ab
charriy (Ihe Trust") for the year ended
Responslbllltles and
bas18 of report
As the chanty's trustees. you are responsible for the preparation of the
accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Chariik?s Act 2011
(he Act.).
I report in SpeCt of my examinalion of the Trust's accounts carried out
under section 145 of the 2011 Acl and in carrying out my examination, I
have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission
under section 1451511bl of the Act.
Independent
examlner's statement I have completed my examinatn. l Confirm Ihal no material matters have
come to my attention in connection with the examination (other than that
disclosed below.) which gives me cause to believe that in, any material
respect:
the acuunting records were not kept in accor(lance with section 130
of the Chafriies A¢t,' or
the aount$ did not ac£ord with the accounting Cords. or
the accounts did not comply with the applicable requirements
concerning the form and content of accounts sel out in the Charities
(Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement
that the accounts give a 'true and fairf view which 1$ not a matter
considered as part of an independent examination.
I have no concems and have come acfOSS no other matters in connection
wrth the examination lo which attentn should be drawn in this report in
order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts lo be reached.
. Please delete Ihe wonls in Ihe bracl(ets rfthey do not apply.
Signed:
Gll l-
Name:
John Blakiston
Relevant professional
quallflcation(sl or body
(rf any):
ACMA (Member in pwtise}
Address:
Rose Cottage . Spring Grove Bams. Bewdley Bypass
Oct 2018
IER
Bewdley. Worcs
DY12 1LG
Section B
Disclosure
tJnly complete Il the examiner needs to highlight material matters of concern
(see CC32, Independent examination of chanty accounts: directions and
gUklan for examiners).
Glve here brief detsils of
any iterns thal the
examinerwishes to
dls¢lose.
None
IER
Oct 2018
The Summer Camps Trust
Sheet i
Registered Charity no. 1162580
Annual attounts for the 12 Months to September 30th 2025
Section A". Statement of financial artl¥ttles
12 fftths to
3010912025
12 mths to
3010912024
INCOME RECEIVED
Sub5crlptions from members
Donations '. Bi8 Walk for Klds at Nlnety
Oonatlons General including Gift Aid
Try out Camps
Volunteer lejder training
Book sales
Other
1.71XJ.fJ)
Is,coJ.oJ
5,299.90
15.IS9.59
L400.
5,907.42
18,774.86
249.14
Ico.0)
20B.13
585.fxl
37.508.63
26.875.41
EXpENDVRE
C•ntral Administratlon
Salary and on co
Insurances
Advertising cost Includlng webslte
tsook eos
Tryout camps
Volunteer leader trJlnin8
959.03
3.906.CQ
619.63
1,473.59
5.90B.C
609.63
270.CQ
66.th)
23,843.28
99.39
19.944.06
25,642.11
32,170.50
Net IncomellExpendlturel
IL866.52
-5.295.09
Total funds brought forward
Total funds carried fon¥ard
4.481.05
7.385A7
814.04
4,481.05
Sectlon 8 . Balano sheet
3010912025
10912024
Stock
Trade Debtors
Cash at Barsk
6,360.61
154.45
9,177.69
6,460.(K)
1.28&10
Total currentAssets
.69175
7,74&10
Trade creditor5 and accruals
Deposits held
.3.886.87
4282.28
4282.2A
Net A55ets
7,385.47
4,481.05
CHARITY COMMISSION
FOR ENGLAND AND WALES
Independent examiner's report on the
accounts
Section A
Independent Examiner's Report
Report to the trustsesl
member5 of
Summer Camps Trust
On accounts for the year
ended
3010912025
Charity no
(If any)
1162580
sot out on pages
Sheet 1
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts oflhe ab
charriy (Ihe Trust") for the year ended
Responslbllltles and
bas18 of report
As the chanty's trustees. you are responsible for the preparation of the
accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Chariik?s Act 2011
(he Act.).
I report in SpeCt of my examinalion of the Trust's accounts carried out
under section 145 of the 2011 Acl and in carrying out my examination, I
have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission
under section 1451511bl of the Act.
Independent
examlner's statement I have completed my examinatn. l Confirm Ihal no material matters have
come to my attention in connection with the examination (other than that
disclosed below.) which gives me cause to believe that in, any material
respect:
the acuunting records were not kept in accor(lance with section 130
of the Chafriies A¢t,' or
the aount$ did not ac£ord with the accounting Cords. or
the accounts did not comply with the applicable requirements
concerning the form and content of accounts sel out in the Charities
(Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement
that the accounts give a 'true and fairf view which 1$ not a matter
considered as part of an independent examination.
I have no concems and have come acfOSS no other matters in connection
wrth the examination lo which attentn should be drawn in this report in
order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts lo be reached.
. Please delete Ihe wonls in Ihe bracl(ets rfthey do not apply.
Signed:
Gll l-
Name:
John Blakiston
Relevant professional
quallflcation(sl or body
(rf any):
ACMA (Member in pwtise}
Address:
Rose Cottage . Spring Grove Bams. Bewdley Bypass
Oct 2018
IER
Bewdley. Worcs
DY12 1LG
Section B
Disclosure
tJnly complete Il the examiner needs to highlight material matters of concern
(see CC32, Independent examination of chanty accounts: directions and
gUklan for examiners).
Glve here brief detsils of
any iterns thal the
examinerwishes to
dls¢lose.
None
IER
Oct 2018