Camp Avalon – Advance bookings for July 2020

BLACK2NATURE
Friday – Sunday July 2020

I have been running camps for teenagers on the Somerset Levels since 2016. I have had around 250 teenagers attend since then and each one has gone home having had an amazing time, got connected with nature and made new friends. We also make time to play sport and learn how o use the outdoors to relax.

We will talk about nature, how you can learn to enjoy it and use it to help your mental health, what’s becoming extinct, what is happening environmentally, why you should care and how you can be an activist, fighting for your future. Make an advance booking onto this amazing nature camp for young people aged 12-18 years.

Into its 5th 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.

In 2020 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 all those attending.
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 or vegetarian.

Camp Avalon – Programme

The programme will be finalised shortly depending on the final numbers.

Friday

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

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.
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

1.30 pm – 2.30 pm (CS)
Lunch
2.30 pm – 4.00 pm (PFW)
Wildlife Photography workshop

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)
11 pm
Lights out and no more talking – just sleep

Sunday

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 and Mya-Rose Craig
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

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

Cost

£20.00 per person including food and camping costs

Grants

Free places are available to those young people from an area of deprivation or who are VME. Camp Avalon recognises that there are almost no young birders from VME 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 the Bristol Ornithological Society for the donation of binoculars and tripods.
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 place an advance booking by e-mail to 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.