Return of Bosco Camp makes magical memories for young people
Bosco is back. For the first time since 2019 youngsters from across the Diocese of Brentwood had the opportunity to enjoy a week of activities at the Bosco Camp this summer, thanks to Caritas Diocese of Brentwood and a team of volunteers.
The annual camp used to be an SVP project, running for 30 years or more, with the aim of giving a week of fun to children who would not otherwise have a holiday.
After Covid put a stop to the project for several years, Caritas Diocese of Brentwood took over the reins, raising funds through generous grants, some of which specified that 60% of the children attending should be given free places, while the costs were heavily subsidised for others. Attendees were recommended through schools, parishes and the BCCS.
Fr Dominic Howarth, who is the Vicar for Youth Ministry and Pastoral Care in the Diocese, says : “A committee has been working for the last 18 months to organise the holiday week, which took place at Chigwell Girl Guides Camp. 98 children from across the Diocese enjoyed activities such as inflatables, archery and swimming, alongside football, volleyball, table tennis, Connect 4 and chess.”
Forty two volunteer helpers, including teachers and youth service members, many of whom had been involved with the camp before, or had even attended themselves in the past, made sure the youngsters had a good time. The loan of three school minibuses enabled visits to a local swimming pool and the London Docks for kayaking, thanks to the Lambourne Trust and the Sea Cadets respectively.
The volunteers ranged in age from 18 to 70 and some had 40 years of Bosco Camp experience. Maria McEvoy, deputy camp leader and safeguarding officer, is one of the many volunteers who had attended the camp as a child. “I experienced the camp twice myself when I was eight or nine years old and became a volunteer when I turned 18. As a child, the camp was the only time I got out of East London so I knew the impact it has. It was really rewarding to see kids get that same opportunity at the camp this year,” she says. “I enjoyed seeing how the kids grew through the week, starting off shy and nervous and by the end of the camp, not wanting to go home.”
The Bishop of Brentwood, Rt Rev. Alan Williams, visited the camp towards the end of the week and had lunch with the helpers and talked to the children.
“It was wonderful to see the camp flourishing again on a new site and the kids enjoying themselves,” said Bishop Alan.
“I was also very pleased to see a little tent housing the Blessed Sacrament, always there for a bit of quiet devotion.”
