The Churches of God have been operating Camps for young people for around 100 years. In South Wales these have taken place in a range of locations throughout the area and, in more recent times, slightly further afield Royal Wootton Bassett. You can view more photographs of past Camps on our Facebook page, and video on our YouTube channel.
Rhoose
In South Wales the group of Churches first held a Camp in 1917 at Rhoose in the Vale of Glamorgan. An Elder in one of the Churches gave permission to hold the Camp on a field he owned, and it was held there until about 1972.
The Camp has always been based on a canvas tent accommodation and was held as two separate weeks – one for girls and one for boys. Over time, the Rhoose facility was developed to incorporate a block built kitchen area and then, in about the mid 60’s, chemical toilets were replaced with a concrete block built structure with flush toilets.
Atlantic College, St Donats
In 1972 the Rhoose site was acquired for housing by a compulsory purchase order, and Camp relocated to a field adjacent to and owned by the Atlantic College at St Donats. A timber frame building was constructed in the woods but was some yards from the field and could only be utilized for storage in between camps.
The site brought use of some of the facilities of the College – the pool, canoes and rock climbing, but the price for this was a return to a Marquee for cooking, a cesspit for disposal of all waste and chemical toilets.
Boys’ Village, Aberthaw
In the late 70’s this facility became unavailable and we moved to utilize a field at Boys’ Village, Aberthaw. There were big advantages – use of their pool (unheated!), Dutch barn for some activities and also some showers. However we still had only chemical toilets and being wholly under canvas was exceptionally noisy, being sandwiched between the power stations and cement works.
A nearby overland electricity pole enabled us to buy electricity from SWEB and we installed electrical items on site for the first time – such as fridges, freezers and electric lighting. The conditions at Boys’ Village deteriorated over time and tenure was insecure – the field we used was sometimes double booked – which could mean unwelcome attention to Camp. This led us to consider alternatives.
Farm, Wick
At the end of the 80’s there was a return to more basic facilities for three years as we rented a field off a farmer outside Wick in the Vale. By now electricity was essential to run Camp – for safe food storage etc. so a generator was hired.
Penllyn Farm, Cowbridge
In the early 90’s we were offered a field near Penllyn, Cowbridge with storage of the equipment on the owner’s nearby farm. He was most generous – the field use was free and he also helped with digging waste disposal pits.
Toilet blocks with running water and flush facilities were hired for the first time, and the electricity usage had risen to such a level that two generators were required to be hired. There was even a rustic shower! It was incredible how a field fitted merely with a tap from the water trough could be converted into a sophisticated home for 150 over two weeks.
Many have great memories of this site, although there was again a constant threat of unwanted attention from local youths, particularly for the girls week. The effort involved in setting up the Camp was now very significant so thought processes were turning elsewhere for solutions.
Glyn Cornel, Rhondda
The 2001 foot and mouth disease outbreak offered a chance for reflection. Due to the risk of cross contamination, we felt it wiser to use an indoor at Glyn Cornel Centre in the Rhondda. Facilities only allowed smaller numbers, so the minimum age was raised and “Camp” ran from Friday through to Tuesday, as a mixed boys and girls event, for the first time. We believe that through these circumstances God was pointing us in a new direction, which we soon found.
Royal Wootton Bassett
We knew friends in the Church of God in Swindon who had a potential facility being developed. There was significant conversion work to be carried out, and the first mixed week in that location happened in July 2002. Over the years the site was improved significantly with some wonderful times spent there.
In 2015 we drew a close to that form of Camp, due primarily to the effort still needed to set Camp up in a distant location from where the Leaders lived in South Wales.
St Madoc’s Centre, Gower
We are so excited to have secured the site at the St Madoc’s Centre on the north coast of the Gower Peninsula for 2016. Not only are we back in Wales after a 13 year break but we are at a purpose built youth camp site in an area of true beauty. The landscape is wonderful and the coast is only a walk of merely minutes away. The beach is superb, and very quiet; well-off the normal touristy attraction parts of the south Gower. You can find out more information about the site here, we’ll leave you to enjoy what they have to say about the site and location.
The number of children who have been to Camp over all these years is estimated to be in excess of 10,000 and the current Leaders at Camp have spent well in excess of 300 weeks in leadership roles at Camp
