Warrior Camp Catch Up
Issue 2 June 2009
Hello Warrior Camp leaders,
As the warmer weather starts to arrive and the nights get longer, our thoughts start to turn to camp. There are now only 3 months until the first tents begin to go up in Cromer (then again you could also say there are only 4 months until they come back down again!) but either way it’s time to start getting excited.
Bookings for camp are now starting to trickle in and at this time we are unsure how the economic crisis will affect camp, but we ask you to pray that God continues to bring those to camp who he wants to challenge and bless. If you feel there are any children or leaders who would benefit from camp, make sure you give them a brochure and encourage them to come….it will change their life.
The Warrior Camps Decision Making Group (DMG) had meetings in March and May, below are some of topics that were discussed.
Brand new Website
The new WEC camps website has been launched and contains everything you could ever wish to know about camp. On the new website you can find:
➢ Downloadable camp application forms
➢ Information pages for parents
➢ Recordings of memory verses
➢ A special page where leaders can stay in touch
➢ A picture gallery
➢ A history of camp and where camp has been in the last 50 years (which according to Chris is very useful!)
Our thanks go to Andy Deakin and Jon Robinson, who have both worked hard with Chris putting the website together. If you would like to visit the new website click here to be taken on an exhilarating journey.
Bible teaching
The bible teachers for this year will be;
Week A – Dave Gough
Week B – Michael Lawrence
Week C – Ray Trendell
The bible teaching will be based on 1 John and the theme will be ‘the assurance of salvation’. Please pray for the bible teachers who are now starting to put this together.
Mini-bus
Warrior camp is currently looking into having a minibus on camp. A minibus would open up a whole range of possibilities, including allowing us to pick up and drop off campers at the train station, taking groups of children down to the beach and also running other activities off site.
We would be very interested to hear from anyone who knows a church or an organisation who may be happy to lend or hire us a minibus. If you know anyone please contact Chris.
It would also be useful to compile a list of leaders on camp who can drive a minibus and hold a current ‘Passenger Carrying Vehicle’ (PCV) entitlement. If you hold one of these, please email Chris. csale@btinternet.com
Camp Finances
Warrior Camp is a charitable non profit making organisation. Our aim is to provide a first class Christian holiday that is affordable to as many children as possible. In recent years the cost of running camp has increased significantly and last year we made a loss of £5000. We keep an emergency fund to cover such events but obviously can’t continue to make such losses if Warrior Camp is to continue. Our income is generated by fees, gifts and on site sales (bookshop, pop shop). Fees are the biggest source of income and we want to keep these as low as possible for children and leaders, particularly in the present economic climate. A growing source of income that is really beneficial is gifts, particularly when gift aided, so Camp can reclaim the tax. We are very grateful to all of you who give to camp, but not all of you gift aid. If you give or would like to give to Camp and you are a tax payer please consider gift aid. It is very simple to set up either as a one off payment or for regular giving and significantly increases the impact of your gift and will help to keep fees reasonable. For more information email the youth office who will be pleased to send you a form.
Repair day
On June 6 a repair day will be taking place at WEC Headquaters. Repair days involve mending tents, repairing equipment which has become damaged while on camp and carrying out any other jobs which need sorting before camp starts. If you’re free on that date and can get yourself to HQ, Chris and his team of mending elves would be grateful for any help you can offer. If you’re available, please email Chris. csale@btinternet.com
Leader’s weekend
Please note in your diaries that the leader’s weekend is July 3 – 5.
Prep week
Each year camp relies on a team of dedicated helpers to assist in setting the camps up. At last year’s camp we were low on helpers for prep week (so low in fact that Chris had to resort to asking Ray!) therefore Chris and Rachel are looking for additional helpers for Cromer 2009. If you feel that you would like to help out on prep week Thursday 23rd June, or think you know somebody who would enjoy this hard, but rewarding week (which is free), please email Chris. csale@btinternet.com
Bill Elcock
For those of you who may not be aware, Bill Elcock went to be with the Lord on 28 December 2008.
Bill died peacefully in the ICU of High Wycombe hospital, where he was very well cared for.
We shall all miss ‘Little Bill’ – ‘Bill the Banker’ as he was known to so many Warrior Campers. What a faithful servant he was. Lots of leaders will have fond memories of Bill helping to set up the camps and seeing many a bell tent bag staggering across the field, with only Bill’s legs visible underneath! Then, of course, it was Bill who slept through a gale on the Isle of Wight, which had blown his tent down with Bill peacefully still asleep underneath it! Now, he will be enjoying his own mansion in Heaven and probably sorting all the incoming mail!
Bill was a great man with a servant heart. He did so much behind the scenes at both camp and HQ, and who can estimate the lives he’s touched, through camp and through the literature he has despatched over so many years.
Bill was absolutely faithful to his Lord, loved by many and who is going to be much missed.
DMG
If you feel there are any issues which you would like the DMG to discuss at their next meeting, or if you have any brilliant and innovative ideas about how we can improve camp, please let us know and email your suggestions to csale@btinternet.com
From the DMG