Oxford and District Mencap

Each year in the glorious Oxfordshire countryside (and Wales!), Oxford Mencap organizes 5 weeks of holidays for adults & young people. Around 70 campers attend with a similar number of volunteers. The holidays have been running for over 40 yrs and campers return each year because of the care and support they receive. Each week is filled with outings and activities; bowling, music and drama workshops, trips to the seaside, Thorpe Park, and swimming to name a few. In the evenings there are visits to the local pub (for older guests!) and gathering round the campfire. On the last night of the week there is a disco & BBQ where we get dressed up and dance the night away. Holidays II-V are based at Hill End, a residential centre, near Oxford. The accommodation is dormitories with a kitchen, dining room & indoor recreational areas. The camp is surrounded by areas of open fields, woods, tennis courts & an outdoor swimming pool. The week in Wales is similar but in a hired farmhouse with a smaller group of people and focuses more on day trips to the surrounding areas. Each volunteer is allocated a camper for the week. However, sometimes volunteers may look after more than one camper and sometimes we have more than one volunteer per camper. This may sound daunting but don’t worry, we provide training, advice and support. Some campers just want a great companion for the week, others need a bit more support. There is a briefing on the needs of all the campers before they arrive including a half day training session and the medical assistant and camp leaders are there throughout the week to help you. There are also daily meetings to provide advice and support. You do not have to have done anything like this before.