Camp Avalon 19-21 July 2019 Details
BLACK2NATURE
Friday 19 July 2019 to Sunday 21 July 2019
Camp Avalon 2017
Copyright Mya-Rose Birdgirl Craig
Shapwick Heath, Somerset Levels
Photograph taken by and copyright Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig
Book onto this amazing nature camp for young people aged 12-18 years. Into its 4th year, Camp Avalon has attracted a number of teenagers to the Somerset Levels near Glastonbury, to spend the weekend birding and getting involved with nature. It is aimed at those who have no experience of nature and have never been to the countryside or camped as well as those already interested in being outdoors. These are the links to Birdgirl’s blog posts about the 2015 weekend.
This year we hope to have lots of teenagers who are Visible Minority Ethnic (VME) and or live in the city’s areas of deprivation as well as those who live in the countryside. We will have plenty of activities for both groups.
VME or inner-city teenagers may be accompanied by an adult if they wish but do not need one to attend.
Girls and boys are in separate tents with adults. DBS checked adults will be with the teenagers at all times. All food will be halal.
Camp Avalon – Friday Night
Camp Avalon Mothing Workshop
Copyright Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig
Camp Avalon Mothing Workshop
Copyright Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig
Camp Avalon Mothing Workshop
Photograph taken by and copyright Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig
Camp Avalon – Saturday
Camp Avalon Sketching
Workshop Photograph taken by and copyright Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig
Camp Avalon Sketching Workshop
Photograph taken by and copyright Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig
Camp Avalon Photography workshop
Photograph taken by and copyright Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig
Camp Avalon photography workshop
Photograph taken by and copyright Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig
Camp Avalon Bird Ringing Workshop
Photograph taken by and copyright Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig
Camp Avalon Bird Ringing Workshop
Photograph taken by and copyright Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig
Camp Avalon Bird Ringing Workshop
Photograph taken by and copyright Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig
Camp Avalon Sunday
Photograph taken by and copyright Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig
Camp Avalon Birding Walk
Photograph taken by and copyright Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig
Camp Avalon Birding Walk
Photograph taken by and copyright Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig
Friday 19 July 2019 to Sunday 21 July 2019
Camp Avalon – Programme
The programme will be finalised shortly depending on final numbers.
Friday 19th July 2019
All activities dependent on weather
5.00 pm
Pick-up St Paul’s Learning Centre (CPLC)
6.00 pm – 7.00 pm (CS)
Safety briefing, allocating tents and setting up camp
7.00 pm – 8.00 pm (CS)
Helping cooking and serving dinner
8.00 pm – 8.30 pm (CS)
Everybody to help with carrying dishes to the kitchen, washing up and drying and bringing dishes back
8.30 pm – 9.30 pm (CS)
Time to socialize and play football
9.30 pm – 10.30 pm
Toasting marshmallows over the fire
11 pm
Lights out and no more talking – just sleep
Saturday 20th July 2019
7.00 am (CS)
Everybody up and get ready
7.30 am – 8.00 am (CS) Breakfast at the campsite
8.00 am – 11.30 am (HW)
Birding at Ham Wall, searching for Great White Egret, Bittern and lots of other great birds. Meet at HWCP.
Led by Chris Craig and Shaun Austin
Filming with ITV West News
11.30 am – 12.00 pm (CS)
Refreshment break
12.00 pm – 12.30 pm
Feeding animals on the farm
12.30 pm – 1.30 pm (PFW)
Bio Blitzing in 2 teams
Led by Shaun Austin and Helena Craig
1.30 pm – 2.30 pm (CS)
Lunch
2.30 pm – 4.00 pm (PFW)
Wildlife Photography workshop
Led by Shane Austin
4.00 pm – 4.30 pm (CS)
Refreshment break
4.30 pm – 5.00 pm (CS)
Tent inspection
5.00 pm – 6.00 pm (CS)
Downtime (only after all belongings packed back into backpacks and tents tidied)
6.00 pm – 7.30 pm (CS)
Helping cooking and serving dinner
7.30 pm – 8.30 pm (CS)
Everybody to help with carrying dishes to the kitchen, washing up and drying and bringing dishes back
8.30 pm – 10.30 pm (MD)
Looking for Nightjar and bats on the Mendips (dependent on weather)
Led by Chris Craig
11 pm
Lights out and no more talking – just sleep
Sunday 21st July 2019
7.00 am (CS)
Everybody up and get ready
7.30 am – 8.00 am (CS) Breakfast at the campsite
8.00 am – 10.30 am (PFW)
Bird ringing demonstration
Chris Craig, Pete Burston and Mya-Rose Craig
Magazine Photoshoot
10.30 am – 11.00 am (CS)
Refreshment break
11.00 am – 12.30 pm
Walk to Glastonbury Tor
12.30 pm – 1.00 pm (CS)
Lunch
1.00 pm – 2.30 pm (CS)
Taking down tents and packing up the campsite
Ayesha Ahmed-Mendoza and Helena Craig
2.30 pm – 3.00 pm (CS)
Refreshment break
3.00 pm
Finish
4.00 pm
Drop off St Paul’s Learning Centre (SPLC)
Key to locations
SPLC – St Paul’s Learning Centre, Grosvenor Road, St Paul’s, Bristol, BS2 8XJ, telephone 0117 9145470.
CS – Paddington Farm, Maidencroft Lane, Glastonbury, Somerset BA6 8JN, Telephone: 01458 832752.
PFW – Paddington Farm Woods, near to Camp Site
HW – Ham Wall RSPB Reserve, park in the new Ham Wall Car Park if open or Shapwick Heath Car Park opposite, Ashcott Road, Glastonbury, Somerset BA6 9SX
MP – Stockhill Woods, Priddy, Mendips, Somerset BA5 3BE (drive through Wells and then follow A39 towards Bristol and Bath, turn left onto Priddy Road and at the crossroads (with the Hunters Rest on the corner) turn right, the woods are on your right and park in the pull-in before the car park).
HWCP – Ham Wall RSPB Reserve Car Park, Ashcott Road, Glastonbury, Somerset BA6 9SX
Bittern, Shapwick Heath, Somerset Levels, March 2015
Photograph was taken by and copyright Mya-Rose Craig
Cost
£20.00 per person including food and camping costs
Grants
Free places are available to those young people (and parents/family if they wish to come) from an area of deprivation or who are VME. Camp Avalon recognises that there are almost no young birders from black or minority ethnic backgrounds and so hope that these grants will encourage disadvantaged young people to be able to attend. All equipment needed will also be loaned for the weekend.
Thank you to the volunteers who have offered their time in order to pass on their knowledge to young birders.
Black2Nature
Thank you to Paddington Farm and the many people who have supported Black2Nature and these camps and to Chew Valley Ringing Station and the birders who have offered their time in order to pass on their knowledge to young birders.
Thank you to Opticron for the donation of five pairs of compact binoculars and discounted optical equipment to this project and to Bristol Ornithological Society for the donation of £2500 for 20 pairs of binoculars.
Thank you also to Go Outdoors for discounted camping equipment and Blenheim Scouts for discounted use of their minibus.
Thank you also to Burns Price Foundation, Quartet Community Funding, Community Access Support Services and Alpkit for helping to fund our projects.
Transport
Free transport is available to and from Bristol, with pickup from St Paul’s Learning Centre, Grosvenor Road, St Paul’s.
How to Book
Please book on Eventbrite or e-mail helenabcraig@hotmail.co.uk or text 07798818772 with your name, address, phone number and date of birth and your child’s name and date of birth with any dietary requirements. Please also get in touch if you would like to get involved by volunteering.
About The Author
Hi, I’m Dr. Mya-Rose Craig. I am a 19-year-old prominent British-Bangladeshi ornithologist, environmentalist, diversity activist as well as an author, speaker and broadcaster. At age 11 I started the popular blog Birdgirl, and at age 17 I became the youngest person to see half of the birds in the world.
Lyrical, poignant and insightful.’ - Margaret Atwood
This is my story; a journey defined by my love for these extraordinary creatures. Because large or small, brown, patterned or jewelled, there is something about birds that makes us, even for just moments at a time, lift our eyes away from our lives and up to the skies.
Lyrical, poignant and insightful.’ - Margaret Atwood
This is my story; a journey defined by my love for these extraordinary creatures. Because large or small, brown, patterned or jewelled, there is something about birds that makes us, even for just moments at a time, lift our eyes away from our lives and up to the skies.