Northampton to host first-ever UK camp for teenagers with serious illnesses

A children’s charity has chosen Northampton as the home of the first ever camp especially for teenagers with serious illnesses.
Young peoples' Over The Wall has chosen Northampton as the home of its first camp for teens.Young peoples' Over The Wall has chosen Northampton as the home of its first camp for teens.
Young peoples' Over The Wall has chosen Northampton as the home of its first camp for teens.

Over The Wall, a charity that provides free residential experiences for children with health challenges, is introducing a three-day teen camp and calling on Northampton teenagers with health challenges to apply.

Thee three-day free experience will be held between October 2 and October 4, 2020, at the Kings Park Conference Centre and Sports Park, complete with an overnight stays and Over The Wall's "mobile hospital" on hand to care for a huge range of conditions if needed.

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The charity also needs volunteers in Northampton to get involved and help facilitate the camp as well as local nurses, doctors and paramedics to join the clinical volunteer team.

The camp would offer a huge range of activities for teenagers will serious health issues to help build their confidence.The camp would offer a huge range of activities for teenagers will serious health issues to help build their confidence.
The camp would offer a huge range of activities for teenagers will serious health issues to help build their confidence.

It will focus specifically on young people aged between 13 and 17 experiencing difficult times with their health and offer them activities to increase their confidence and address the isolation and exclusion teenagers with serious illness often face.

Over The Wall's goal is for campers to make friends, develop a sense of belonging, build positive relationships with other young people- and most of all, have fun.

Kevin Mathieson, chief executive of Over The Wall, said: “We are absolutely delighted to be setting up camp in Northampton to launch of our first teen camp.

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"Teenage years are often considered to be the most difficult period for young people coping with the complications of having a health challenge, which is exactly why Over The Wall is introducing a camp specially for this age group.

The camp will be the first of its kind for teenagers in the UK and now needs volunteers to make it happen.The camp will be the first of its kind for teenagers in the UK and now needs volunteers to make it happen.
The camp will be the first of its kind for teenagers in the UK and now needs volunteers to make it happen.

"This experience will offer a range of opportunities that these young people would otherwise struggle to access.”

All of the camp activities are also designed to encourage and challenge young people to reach beyond the perceived limitations of their illness.

The day-to-day activities can range from climbing, music, arts & crafts and archery, as well as bespoke sessions co-designed by the young people themselves.

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Over The Wall is inviting applications from teenagers living in the UK, currently receiving treatment, or experiencing health challenges for over 130 different illnesses - including blood disorders, gastrointestinal disorders, cancer and leukaemia, rheumatological conditions, immunological disorders, respiratory disorders, skin conditions, severe allergies, heart conditions kidney disease, neurological disorders, neuromuscular disorders, organ transplant and many more.

If you have or know a teenager with a health challenge that would benefit from Over The Wall’s free camps, or if you are interested in volunteering, then go to the Over The Wall website and apply for camp or call 02392 477110 for more information.

The charity was founded in 1999 by late Hollywood actor and philanthropist Paul Newman.

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