LNEUK
YGL Blog 2019
17 July 2019
Monday 15th July
The L&E Young Global Leaders programme is a very unique opportunity for young people from around the world to come together to learn and understand what makes good young leaders. In our small team we have participants from Hong Kong, Spain, Russia, Italy, Sweden, Germany, France and UK. Now if that isn’t what Young Global Leaders should be all about then I don’t what is!!?
We started on Monday morning with a brief questionnaire about our expectations and what we felt our strengths and weaknesses were. We then spent quite a bit of time introducing each other and getting to know one another. My gosh…these young leaders are so incredibly interesting. Their dreams and ambitions are astounding but with a firm belief and commitment to achieve them.
We then looked at some well known leaders and discussed their attributes…Trump, Merkel, Messi, Sir Alex Ferguson, Mandela and Greta Thunberg.
It was certainly an interesting discussion as you can imagine!
The afternoon session included some camp fire cooking skills that will hopefully come in useful for the Wilderness trip later on in the week…
Tuesday, 16th July
Tuesday brought some problem solving to the table. It was a team effort but there were certainly some characters that came to the fore with some astute leadership skills…all with different styles mind you.
You may have heard of Edward de Bono!? A Maltese modern day psychologist who came up with an interesting theory about different ways of thinking within a team.
When making a collective decision it’s always good to have members of the team who behave and look at things differently. It’s called The 6 Thinking Hats.
Six distinct directions are identified and assigned a color. The six directions are:
- Managing Blue – what is the subject? what are we thinking about? what is the goal? Can look at the big picture.
- Information White – considering purely what information is available, what are the facts?
- Emotions Red – intuitive or instinctive gut reactions or statements of emotional feeling (but not any justification).
- Discernment Black – logic applied to identifying reasons to be cautious and conservative. Practical, realistic.
- Optimistic response Yellow – logic applied to identifying benefits, seeking harmony. Sees the brighter, sunny side of situations.
- Creativity Green – statements of provocation and investigation, seeing where a thought goes. Thinks creatively, outside the box.
This was an incredibly rewarding session where the team were given the task of planning a birthday party and designing the Best Summer Camp (pretty tough competition out there I’ve heard!!??)
They were given different “hats” to see if they were able to think differently and also were able to choose the “hat” that they were most comfortable with.
We hope that the skills learnt will be beneficial to them for the rest of their lives.
Wednesday brings a very exciting proposition…The Wilderness Experience. Plans have been made and now just the expedition itself is there to complete. We look forward to telling you all about it tomorrow. Till then….
Click for YGL Photos
North Camp 1 Blog 2019
7 July 2019
Sunday, 7th July, 2019
Once the parents had left and the children were checked in, everybody met outside.
The children were drawn in, as if hypnotised, towards the luscious smell of a crackling BBQ. Burgers that would melt in your mouth were complemented by a beautiful green salad. Many of the children had been to the camp before and were hugging and catching up. Many were new and had never been to the camp before, but got involved in the games straight away and were introducing themselves. We always remind the children to look after each other, especially when they’re nervous. BE KIND, BE KIND, BE KIND.
THEN, the games began…
Stuck in the Mud was the most exhausting game. Everybody was sweating and running for water. I am expecting that all of us will be very fit by the end of the week, even the children that pretended to be tagged so that they could hide from running. This was very funny. We also played some new games like “Captain’s Coming” where children pretended to be pirates scrubbing the decks and had to had to get into groups of 2, 3, 4, or 6. British Bulldog was probably the most fun game. The children had to run between a wall of tutors and reach the other side of the field without getting caught. They were very good at this because many children are very very fast, ESPECIALLY Fred.
After an evening of fun and games, we were rewarded with hot chocolate and marshmallows. YUM.
Then, the children went to their bedrooms, got ready for bed and started relaxing together. Some of them were doing face masks, some were reading, and some were just laughing together. I really look forward to the rest of the week.
Click for more photos
Monday, 8th July, 2019
After a night of getting to know each other the kids enjoyed their first breakfast at L&E! There was lots of choice, including good ol’ English crumpets (an English delicacy).
To get warmed up, we played a big game of dodgeball while listening to fun music. Lots of dance moves were made.
Then after, the kids could segregate into the Creative, Adventure, and Sport activities. For Creative the kids could make themselves a superhero and do yoga (as taught by the expert Hayley). For Adventure there was den-making! The kids really got into making their stick-dens as homely as possible. One of the dens had a shelf with plants and decorations. Some of the dens had doors… or even toilets! For sport there was ULTIMATE frisbee and rugby. The kids really got stuck into this and were very quick learners.
Biscuit Time at morning break was very funny. Some of the children (not naming any names) were using very intelligent tactics to get more biscuits than they were allowed, including creating silly diversions.
In the afternoon, Horse riding started – which was “AWESOME!”. Dexter was as reliant as ever so Valentina was very happy. Blue is a new horse and Carla feels she’ll be able to jump really well.
For the BIG event of the day there were EPIC Ice Breaker Games. A personal highlight was wearing a pair of tights on our heads that was filled with a ball. We then used the hanging ball to knock over cups. We all looked like hilarious anglerfishes (definitely worth a Google by the way). Sam performed an excellent demonstration.
Afterwards, lots of pictures were taken with volunteers who were wrapped in toilet paper to look like funny mummies. Chubby Bunny was another highlight. This involved children squishing as many marshmallows into their mouth as possible, while saying “chubby bunny”. There was lots of laughing. The record holder of L&E Chubby Bunny squeezed a ridiculous 22 marshmallows in their mouth! However, the funniest faces were pulled in the Chocolate Challenge where volunteers would have to only use their face to move an After Eight Chocolate from their forehead into their mouth.
The kids have now had their hot chocolate and are in bed, ready for tomorrow!
Click to see more photos
Tuesday, 9th July, 2019
Day two kicked off with a scrumptious combination of eggy bread and baked beans which seemed to go down a treat. That was followed by an intense, yet friendly game of dodgeball which was perfectly accompanied by the soothing voice of Leona Lewis in the background.
The morning activity of forest art gave the kids the opportunity to get some fresh air and be creative, while the scuba diving allowed the children to try something new. Due to the slightly damp conditions, football was played in the state of the art sports hall facility for our sportier campers. Nobby the chef pulled out all the stops with a lovely chicken curry to round off the morning activities.
Hockey and camp fire building took place in the afternoon, alongside another thrilling scuba diving session. The kids then enjoyed a panini for the evening meal, before we all gathered round the camp fire for some hearty songs from around the world with some delicious toasted marshmallows. Finally, the day was rounded off with some hot chocolate which ended the evening on a high before bed time.
Click for Day 3 Photos
Wednesday, 10th July, 2019
The sun rose upon the grounds of Aysgarth for the first Wednesday of camp following an overnight rainfall that could only have been summoned by Thor premeditating his upcoming theme night appearance. A uniquely British serving of a platter of various meats and rolls provided the fuel for the high-octane day ahead.
Bucking the age-old L&E dodgeball tradition, we started the morning with a game of musical statues, with shapes being thrown by the campers that frankly defied description. The morning adventure activity was extreme capture the flag, a tactical game which engulfed the campers in physical and mental strategy. In our English lessons the campers were testing their skills of description and communication with various character themed games, before cooperating by following a traditional English recipe and baking a Victoria sponge cake which rumour has it would have earned a Paul Hollywood handshake. Wimbledon fever hit North Yorkshire, as our campers channelled their inner Heather Watson’s and Rafael Nadal’s in a riveting tennis session, whilst the creative stars showed their urban side by producing both indoor and outdoor chalk drawings that would rival Banksy’s finest work.
All the while, throughout both morning and afternoon we had a special off-site adventure activity of canoeing, with campers breathing in the full magnificence of the Yorkshire countryside from an unusual waterborne viewpoint.
After a classic burger and salad lunch, the afternoon got underway, and my word what an afternoon it was. Our creative option was a one stop trip to Karoakeville, with a relaxed and familiar sing song session that everybody got really involved in. The on-site adventurers went scavenger hunting, solving a combination of riddles and anagrams to find an avengers themed solution. The basketball participants had the honour of being mentored by a former North Wales champion, and the level of skill shown in the session resembled Dylan Hughes in full flight.
To conclude another action-packed day, campers further embezzled themselves into tomorrows theme night spirit by watching The Avengers. Movie night provided a calm end to the third day of what has been a brilliant start to our 2019 L&E adventure, and post hot chocolate the campers snuggled in bed looking forward to the exciting possibilities ahead tomorrow.
Click for Day 4 Photos
Thursday, 11th July, 2019
The day began with everyone excited to start the 5th day of camp! After an early night following movie night, we were raring to go for theme night! But before that, all the days exciting activities needed to take place! Morning began with a scrumptious breakfast of scrambled eggs to help fuel the first decision of the day – Bench ball, Water polo and the chance to make some gorgeous chocolate truffles!
Bench ball was tremendous fun, being the goalie is boring though! You’re not allowed to move and have to stay on the bench! The kids just want to run around! The kids got to test out their baking skills as well, by making chocolate truffles! They ended up being really nice and fluffy, with exciting toppings like coconut and chocolate sprinkles. Water polo was great too, the kids pushed Jack and Connor in the pool, but it was such a success that we decided to do it again in the afternoon!
The afternoon began with a yummy roast dinner. It gave the kids an opportunity to try some traditional British food. Honestly, it’s the best!! Badminton provided the kids the chance to test out their racket skills, with Emma, who used to compete competitively, providing her excellent expertise. Excitingly, with the sun shining, the opportunity for the first waterslide of camp! It was so so much fun and everyone got really really wet, and a little bit soapy too! Everyone needed a shower after…
As an alternative to Badminton, there was also the first L&E Strictly Come Dancing lesson! This involved Sophie teaching a Cha Cha Cha, Waltz and Samba to some keen dancers, who had loads of sass and style. Paul and Simon were the star pair, having a Cha Cha worthy of a 10/10!
All throughout the day, Sam was taking people climbing! It’s a bit scary hanging off a rope that high, but it’s incredible fun.
After a dinner of chicken pasta, we got to participate in theme night, all the tutors were dressed as their favourite Avenger – Jack got painted all purple, he was Thanos, the bad guy of the evening. After competing challenges testing our strength, speed and mind, we proved we were better than the Avengers, and got to throw water balloons at Thanos (purple Jack). After this, a big water fight broke out, a silly end to another fantastic day at L&E!
Click for Day 5 Photos
Click for Horse Riding Photos
Friday, 12th July, 2019
Life is not about the amount of breathes you take, it’s the moments that take your breath away, this was the belief the L&E campers had throughout the day. With the end of the week lingering, the anticipation for the L&E Oscars evening was at fever pitch. The only thing holding back the excitement was the fear of missing out on capturing the grand prize of star camper.
Dodgeball in the morning was naturally not met with any boredom even if it was the fifth session of the week, dodgeball enthusiasm shows no sign of decreasing at this rate with these happy campers. An extreme and very safe adventure activity of tree climbing was only ventured by only the very elite campers. Creating a better Oscars presented by names such as Chris Rock and Jimmy Kimmel is no easy fetch, thankfully our most creative campers were on hand to create an event with more ambiance than a candlelit dinner. France is known for wine, cheese and weird cricket rules; therefore, it was a shock to see the enjoyment and satisfaction from an interesting game of French cricket.
Another week, another chef, but dinner will never be the same without chef Nobby’s famous curry and charming wit.
In the Afternoon, the campers evolved into Alastair and Johnny Brownlee, when everyone participated in a well scheduled triathlon, even though nobody has heard of the Yorkshire heroes. This tiering event was a perfect assist to the main event of the night, all the camp needed was a dashing host, stepped up Sam Ridgway.
With many awards being handed to the most deserving nominee, the only thing left to do was to hand out the star camper award. Deservedly Morten welcomed the award with open arms, while the audience were animated with raucous applause.
Click for Day 6 Photos
Saturday 13th & Sunday 14th
What a lovely weekend we’ve had! Trips to York, Lightwater Valley Theme Park and a trip around the Dales villages.
It all happened over an extraordinary English weekend of sport where the very traditional game of Cricket World Cup Final was being held plus The British Grand Prix and The Wimbledon Final. England became cricket World Champions for the first time in history – a memorable experience for the the children who watched.
We ended Sunday evening with a lovely BBQ sat in the sunshine.
We’re incredibly excited for the week ahead…the Young Global Leaders Course and the Football School starts on Monday!
Click for weekend Photos
Monday, 15th July, 2019
We launched into week two with some eggs on toast and hunger games dodgeball.
For creative, there was Strictly Come Dancing with Sophie (samba, cha-cha-cha, and more) in the morning. Slowly, but surely the L&E camp is becoming more flamboyant. ULTIMATE frisbee was repeated (due to previous popularity). The most compelling activity (the adventure one) was Campfire Cooking. This was led by the expert fire-maker Jack. Little chocolate-chip cakes were cooked in oranges that we heaved into the fire (that had a chair burning at its centre). I felt epic.
In the afternoon the artsy kids did some graffiti (wash off – we’re not delinquents I swear). For the more sporty children there was volleyball. This was Very popular. Sardines (a curious form of hide and seek) took place in the L&E building, which was followed by SUMO WRESTLING.
The Young Global Leaders course started today! We did a lot of teambuilding activities (including detangling ourselves in groups, passing along a hoop while holding hands in a circle and “Two Truths and a Lie”. There was discussion about other global leaders and what it means to be a good one. The kids were also presented with the power of planning the night’s evening activity.
Football camp also started today which, as I heard, went very smoothly. Regarding technicality, dribbling was the centre of attention. The camp tutors leading it (Matt and James) made it known that they were really impressed by energy and commitment that their group had. There was also a fun, competitive game at the end.
Monday FUNDAY was this evening’s activity (as planned mostly by the Young Global Leaders). I may be slightly biased, but this was an really really legendary evening. There was apple bobbing followed by finding a Malteser in flour. The outcome of this decision was soggy, flower-covered children who looked like small Santas. A binbag fashion show also took place (photos will be on Facebook). The outfits were FABULOUS, but the catwalks were even better. An L&E Egg-drop was the big finale of Monday FUNDAY. We all chanted “scrambled eggs, scrambled eggs”. This was a nice circle ending to the beginning of the day with the eggs on toast. EGGCELENT :,)
Click for Day 9 photos
Tuesday, 16th July, 2019
As the campers rose on a sunny 52nd birthday of Will Ferrell they enjoyed a classic English breakfast of bacon, eggs and toast. After filling themselves up and running back upstairs to brush their teeth, they pattered down to the sports hall to play the traditional L&E morning warm-up… dodgeball. All the kids followed the five rules of dodgeball… dodge, duck, dip, dive and dodge and the standard of dodgeball in everyone (staff included) has improved massively since the start of last week.
The morning activities chosen were basketball, den building and papier mâché. In basketball, after doing a few testing drills, the participants were then separated into 4 teams; Dumplings, Team 3, NBA and Ragamuffins. After a round robin tournament, they then played semi-finals and ended with a final of the dumplings verses the Ragamuffins ending in a sudden death penalty shoot out which lived up to the exciting billing, with the Ragamuffins just edging the contest. Our adventure team ventured off to the woods to build dens. The creativity and survival instincts of the campers was inspiring, and they made seriously impressive dens in the amount of time that they had to work with. Finally our creators made some papier mâché sculptures which rivalled the 7 wonders of the world!
After a delightful traditional roast beef dinner and ice cream, the campers were treated to an impressive range of activities; a final instalment of this weeks campfire cooking where we made the biggest fire yet and today made chocolate muffins with white chocolate chips. This, like yesterday, went down like a house on fire. Our keen sportspeople took on a joint task of rounders and it’s american friend, baseball. Everyone hit a home run with this activity and caught, hit and threw with great aplomb. Finally our budding Picassos went to the art room to design and create props and posters for our upcoming theme night; ‘The Greatest Showman’.
The day ended with the weekly L&E campfire, which showcased the immense talent of all the campers. Many of the campers got up to perform, highlights included some impressive quick rapping, impressions of the staff by campers and even a series of ‘opera offs’. Ending with the delicious melted marshmallows and hot chocolate, the campers snuggled up in bed, chatting about the excitement that tomorrow may bring.
Click for Day 10 Photos
Wednesday, 17th July 2019
Today camp rose yet again with the sun shining, which surely promised joy and happiness for yet another wonderful day at L&E. Breakfast this morning was a treat, with Beans and Sausages on the menu, Connor loved them so much he had 4! The choice for activities was equally exciting with Water Polo, Tree climbing and old style poster making on the cards.
For those who did Water Polo, they were given expert coaching by Jack. It was such great fun that the kids were given a chance to do it again in the afternoon. Tree climbing was fantastic fun too, it’s exhilarating getting up to those heights, and it’s so exciting that we’re allowed to do it too! The Poster making was cool too, the kids learned how to use a tea bag to make the poster looked old fashioned! Some were so good that they’ll be used for our Greatest Showman theme night tomorrow!
Lunch was delicious as usual, everyone was treated to Hunter’s chicken and little mini roast potatoes. It was so so so good! The Hunter’s chicken was really tangy while the potatoes were super herby. For dessert, we had a chocolate muffin with a whipped cream filling, which was superb too.
After lunch, along with the aforementioned Water polo, we also were offered the option to do either Tennis or the chance to make our own dream catchers! Tennis was cool to do – with Wimbledon having happened last weekend it was fun to recreate the Finals!! The quality of the tennis match between Andrea, Paul, Connor and Emma L was so high that we had to call in Caroline Flack to inform which couple was announced the winner. Making dream catchers were awesome too, Hayley taught us how to transform a few twigs of wood into a really cool dream catcher. On top of this, Sam was running trips backwards and forwards to a lake to do some Kayaking. This was super cool too, although falling in the water was really cold!!!
This evening kicked off with a delicious meal of Pasta. We were given 3 choices, Spaghetti Carbonara, a Cheesy bake or Green Pesto Pasta! On top of this, we were given some yummy garlic bread! All this set the scene for watching the Greatest Showman ahead of tomorrow’s theme night. The soundtrack is so so good, we were all singing along!
We’d also like to give a mention to the Young Global Campers, who tonight are out camping. Unfortunately for them, it’s raining tonight, the first time it has done since arriving to camp. Despite this, let’s all hope it’s a fantastic experience for them – and they learn some valuable skills from it all.
To finish today’s blog, we unfortunately said goodbye to Zara today. Zara has added to everyone’s time at camp and really impressed all the tutors here. She was a fantastic student and she will be missed by all her peers, let’s hope we see her again next year!
Click for Wednesday’s photos
Thursday, 18th July 2019
The Young Global Leaders returned from their wilderness adventure, enthusiastic to begin the day with the rest of the campers but rather tired from a night of sleeping outside and learning survival skills. The activities for the morning were hockey, climbing and cheerleading which was a new activity for lots of the campers and members of staff too! Hockey saw the kids take part in a tournament which was fiercely competitive but a lot of fun too. There was also the option of rock climbing which was also extremely popular because allowed them to go into the Yorkshire Dales and experience rock climbing outside.
In the afternoon the campers had the option of playing rugby or yoga. Some of them who didn’t have the chance to go climbing in the morning went in the afternoon and others helped to create props for the theme night. Thursday is always an exciting day at camp because its theme night! This week the theme was The Greatest Showman.
The night began in the dining hall with face painting, magic tricks and fortune telling. We then all went to the performing arts centre where the staff preformed an opening dance number to ‘This is Me’ from the film. The kids were then split into teams and undertook a series of activities including a game of charades, juggling and acrobatics. The night’s finale was a dance competition between the teams. Each team had to create a short dance routine to the song ‘The Greatest Show’ and the performances were incredible considering the limited amount of time they had to do it in. The competition was a tie between Paul and Jack’s team and so they took part in a dance battle which crowned Paul’s team as winner. All in all Thursday was a great day and theme night was a huge success!
Click for Thursday Photos
Friday, 19th July 2019
Breakfast was met with a surreal feeling from both campers and staff, the last full day of these spell bounding two weeks really had arrived. The keen footballers throughout the week made a sharp turnaround post breakfast to head to Manchester United’s world famous stadium Old Trafford for an exclusive stadium tour. The tour included a pitter patter around a museum full of memorabilia regarding United’s illustrious history before being escorted around various sections of the ground including the dressing room, the tunnel, the press room and out on the pitch side to sit in the dugouts. The children were left inspired and enthused come the end, what an experience!
Meanwhile the Motley Crew back at camp got on with karaoke throughout the day, while those who fancied a run about began playing indoor football. GOAAAAAAL GOALL, always believe in your soul.
The evening activity consisted of the much anticipated beloved L&E Oscars, a perfect way to round off every week, reflecting on days gone by, rewarding those who have shown their true colours. This Oscars night was an emotional one above all others, a fortnight had gone by with few campers leaving and the group is closer than ever. The disco followed, a favourite with the campers, an opportunity to showcase your rhythmic spirit and get your groove on.
Come the end of the Disco, the tears began to flow like Alice in Wonderland when she falls down the rabbit hole. Many of the staff took a moment to step back and observe the contrast between the emotions from some of the campers at the start of camp to the emotions from all but few campers come the end of camp. Tears of angst and reluctance regarding the weeks ahead had transformed into tears of angst and reluctance to leave their fellow campers behind and return to life before camp. Sad, but simply beautiful.
Learn & Experience 2019 Group 1, regrettably, signing off!
Click for Friday’s Photos
Spring ’19 Newsletter
2 May 2019
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Visit to Amsterdam
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New L&E World Camp & Teen Travel Films
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Congratulations to Julie & Hayley
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Limited Availability for Summer 2019
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New Teen Travel Tour for 2020
It ‘s been a busy couple of months with the L&E Office a hive of activity. Here are a few of the highlights…
Visit to Amsterdam
In April we were invited by a lovely parent to give a presentation at her children’s school De School van HIP in Laren near Amsterdam. We had an absolute ball and also took the opportunity to make some plans for our Teen Travel Euro Tour in the summer which will be stopping off in Amsterdam. Thank you, Yvonne for hosting us and to all those who took the time to hear us speak.
New L&E Films
We’ve had a lot of fun over the past few months interviewing campers, teen travellers, parents and staff to help others understand what L&E World Camps & Teen Travel are all about. They are the best part of 10 minutes long so get a cup of tea and a couple of biscuits and enjoy…
L&E World Camps – what children, parents and staff say!
What is L&E Teen Travel? (in their own words)
Congratulations to Julie & Hayley
Julie and Hayley are very special members of the L&E team and have been involved with us since 2014. They got married on 20th April in an incredibly emotional ceremony with many members of the L&E staff in attendance. It was a magical day and we are all so delighted for them both. Wishing them many years of happiness together.
In honour of their special day L&E produced a music video to celebrate the small (though not insignificant!) part that L&E plays their lives…
Hayley & Julie’s Summer Story
Limited Availability Summer 2019
Summer is fast approaching and all our programmes are filling up nicely. We have no places left on our Teen Travel UK Tours and have only a few places on our Block 1 World Camp North. All other programmes still have places but will no doubt fill up very soon so don’t delay if you are still interested.
World Camps
- North UK: 7th – 20th July (A few place available):
- North UK: 21st July – 3rd August (Limited Availability)
- South UK: 28th July – 10th August (Limited Availability)
Teen Travel
- UK Tour: 30th June – 13th July (No Availability)
- Euro Tour: 21st July – 3rd August (Limited Availability)
Young Global Leaders Course
- North UK: 13th – 20th July (Limited Availability)
- South UK: 3rd -10th August (Limited Availability)
New Teen Travel Tour for 2020
We’re delighted to announce our new Teen Travel programme in British Columbia, Canada. For more details email: info@learnexperience.co.uk
British Columbia Adventure
L&E Newsletter – Dec ’18
5 December 2018
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L&E Review
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L&E Road Trip:Copenhagen
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Little/Cool Sam’s L&E Working Journey
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L&E FEATURE: Tennis Academy
November was a busy month that brought, amongst other things the introduction of our new booking system which will hopefully allow L&E to move (belatedly) into the 21st century. Families will have their own accounts where they can see their payment plans, make personal requests and update data to allow for an easy progression to camp. Please be in touch with the L&E Office if you have any queries about the new system.
The L&E Roadshow got going with Julie visiting Copenhagen (see below for full story). I will be visiting New York in December and will look forward to tell you all about it in the January Newsletter. I wish you all a great festive season and really hope to see many of you in the New Year! SR
L&E Review
We are a small company that don’t have a massive marketing budget to spread the word of L&E. Therefore, we really rely on our loyal families to help us get the message out to other families. Word of mouth has always been our main source of new families and we truly appreciate all your testimonials and recommendations. It would be wonderful to have a permanent record on an independent forum where you can leave your honest and open reviews. We have review pages on Google and Facebook so would be absolutely delighted if you could spare a few moments. Many thanks in advance.
L&E in Copenhagen
Our first road trip of the season took us to the beautiful Danish capital, Copenhagen. It was their first cold snap of the year but clear skies made it a thoroughly enjoyable trip.
We were delighted to host 2 L&E information evenings at schools in Rungsted which is just north of Copenhagen. The first school we visited was Rungsted Skole which is the school L&E camper Freja attends. Along with Freja and her mother we met some new families and spent an evening telling them all about the 2019 L&E programmes. The next evening we visited was Rungsted Private Realskole where we again met some lovely new families. There were lots of great questions from the parents and children from ‘what is the food like’ to ‘how do we pick our activities’. The families said how great it was to have someone explain how all L&E programmes work in person and how this really put their minds at ease about sending their children to a camp in another country.
We have found these information evenings to be very helpful for families trying to decide upon summer programmes for their children. They give parents and children the opportunity to hear a presentation from a L&E representative and ask any questions they might have, that includes the children asking questions! If you would like L&E to come and visit your school, town or city then please get in touch with Julie.
Little/Cool Sam’s L&E Working Journey
I have to tell you a quick story…Sam B has worked with us for the last 9 years and has been a key component of why our camps are so successful. He is loved by everyone – staff/parents and most importantly, the kids. He has always been known as “Little Sam” to differentiate from myself (who is ever so slightly taller!!) However, in my eyes he will always be “Cool Sam”. The main being reason back in 2012 we had a magical theme night where, inevitably I found myself hidden under a sheet in the front hall while the children searched high and low for me. A few children rushed up near me (not knowing I was under the sheet) declaring that they’d received a clue from Sam. One child exclaimed “Do you mean Boss Sam or Cool Sam!!??”…… My ego was crushed for a few moments but, to be fair I definitely can’t compete on the coolness factor with our beloved Little Sam. Here’s his story in his own words….
I was very happy to have the chance to write about my experiences working with L&E over the years. I’ve been working with L&E since it began almost 10 years ago now! So I’ve had many great summers at camp and seen the impact the camp has on kids as they return year after year. I came to my first camp when I was only 19 years old and at that stage the camp was still working out what it would become in the years to come. We had some really great kids that first year, although we almost had as many staff as kids that year, which did make the staff vs camp dodgeball quite easy! As has always been the case year on year, the kids that are attracted to this camp are always great fun. An amazing aspect of camp is that each week is a completely new experience. While you may have the same size camp, in the same place, with the same staff, the camp will still feel unique, as what makes a camp is the kids and each week is made up of a new, totally unique set of characters, whose mix of personalities make the camp what it is.
I came to work at L&E through my family, both my two sisters and my father worked that first year and many of our friends have worked at the camp over those 10 years. The camp has always had a very intimate, family feel to it and that is something that I think was fostered in those early camps. At that stage there was roughly a 2:1 child to staff ratio and it really did feel like one big family. That ideal has largely remained at L&E through the years and is what makes this camp so special. Despite that, L&E has grown every year I have been there and has added new locations and experiences to the original North Camp, such as the new South Camp and teen travel. It would be so difficult to pick a favorite memory from my years at L&E, however I think perhaps the most rewarding part of my time at L&E has been to see so many children grow up over the years. I’ve seen many kids come for their first camp as little 8 year olds, very shy and unsure of how their week is going to work out, and then return for the next 6 years, making life long friends and growing up into really great people. There would be too many kids to name, but a particular highlight has been to see the likes of Tom and Baptiste, who were once kids on the camp, return as staff and be such great tutors. Apart from making me feel old ? that just highlights that the camp has an impact for kids beyond the week they spend with us over the summer. It has been an eventful first 10 years for L&E and I hope that the next 10 years will be the same ?
L&E FEATURE – Tennis Academy
Adventure, Sport and Creative activities are always offered at our Camps but there are few L&E Extra courses that are a little more specialised. Here we look in detail at our Tennis Academy…
South Camp only (1 Week max)
Just as Wimbledon, the oldest and most prestigious tennis tournament in the world ends for the year in nearby London, boys and girls will have the opportunity to improve their tennis skills at L&E Tennis Academy at South Camp.
Along with expert tuition from our tennis coaches and first rate facilities at Forres Sandle Manor School the players have the perfect setting to improve their racquet skills. As well as perfecting court skills the players will receive seminars on fitness training, nutrition, respect and patience.
To ensure this is a week the players will never forget we will take them to visit the famous All England Club, Wimbledon for a tour. They will get up close and personal with the Championship trophies and clothing & equipment donated by many of the top players. Of course they will get to see Centre Court and the player’s entrance and even get a tase of what it is like behind the scenes in the BBC Studio.
“Expert tennis coaching with a trip to see Centre court at the world famous Wimbledon”
- 5 day Coaching programme delivered by qualified coaches
- Tennis seminars on fitness training, nutrition & respect.
- Elite Tennis facilities at private school with all equipment provided for the week
- Tour of the All England Club, Wimbledon including Centre Court visit
- Exclusive L&E Tennis training kit
See previous L&E Newsletter
South Camp Diary – Week 1 & 2
31 July 2017
Sunday, 30th July
Sunshine, The New Forest and a great group of campers are the best ingredients for an amazing first night at the new L&E South Camp! The children arrived, excited for a new venue, and a new group of friends to be made. They ate a glorious BBQ on the terrace followed by lots of games with the tutors. The campers were undefeated in a game named ‘splat’, much to the tutors frustrations. As the sun set over the old manor house, we all retired to some chocolate cake for Daniel’s birthday and then into our dorms for a good night’s sleep, all excited for what tomorrow will bring!
For more photos from Sunday click here
Monday, 31st July
Well what a way to start the first south camp! The children all arrived last night and we enjoyed games and a yummy BBQ together to get to know each other.
We hit the ground running today with a great session of Dodgeball, the children vs tutor games got very competitive! We then got straight into activities with one group heading out into the school grounds for some outdoor art, another group into the pool for water polo and the third group hopped into the bus and went down to Mudeford Quay to do some crabbing! The fantastic English teachers took their groups for their lessons.
The outdoor art group used natural resources to create pictures, they have turned out really well! The sporting group had great fun in the pool playing water polo, before heading out to play football after biscuit break. The crabbing group, adventured to Mudeford and had a whale of a time catching a total of 13 crabs!
After a great Lasagne lunch and a little bit of free time, the afternoon activities got underway. The activities included; creating stop-motion videos, den building, yoga, tennis, rounders, kick ball and wood weaving. The children really enjoyed these activities and were all socialising well.
After the activities were finished the pool opened and lots of us enjoyed a cool off! We then enjoyed dinner together and the evening was filled with fantastic ice breaker games from communication games to making up dance routines.
The children have bonded well and the camp could not have started on a better note!
For more photos from Monday click here
Tuesday, 1st August
Today’s blog post comes to you in campfire song!
The day started with dodgeball,
What else could it be?
The kids are getting better,
It’s plain to see…
Souki and Shido are Japanese champs,
They hurl the ball faster than a car from a ramp.
We’re having a right laugh at L & E,
Making great friends, you and me.
Many things to do and many places to go
It’s better than North Camp!
I’m telling you so!
After lunch and free-time,
There were towers to climb.
Up them like lizards
Abseiling down fine.
Lacrosse with Ashleigh,
Let’s recap the rules,
We scoop like an ice-cream
And twist like no fools,
We’re having a right laugh at L & E,
Making great friends, you and me.
Many things to do and many places to go
It’s better than North Camp!
I’m telling you so!
A swim to cool off,
Board games in the shade,
Beautiful brownies and fajitas well made,
Songs around the campfire,
Burning marshmallows,
This perfect evening,
Spent among the fellows.
For more photos from Tuesday click here
Wednesday, 2nd August
“My dear rain…As you pour down with all your might,
Will you come to me as my guiding light?
Will you wash my heart?
Will you quench my thirst?”
As Anup B Deen wrote in the poem, the rain can sometimes be a blessing and it certainly didn’t dampen our spirits today!
A group of 17 brave children headed to the Aqua Park and either kayaked or paddle-boarded their way around the huge lake. Great fun was had by all and we are certainly looking forward to returning for the inflatable challenges there tomorrow! Back at the ranch, our English immersion group were in full swing and I am pleased to report great progress (along with a lot of fun) is being made by both groups. The drenched water-sports gang returned to lashings and lashings of hot chocolate and hot showers. Suitably refreshed (and now dry) the Sports Hall was turned into the setting for games and mini challenges. The group skipped, threw and bounced their way into the L&E record books.
After lunch, board-games, badminton, volleyball, origami and dance-choreography were all on the menu. The children had great fun and Shane proved his ability to thrive in the London property market in a very competitive game of Monopoly. Dance rehearsals continued during break-time as the dance crew added the finishing touches to their routine. It was wonderful to hear the children making ‘small-talk’ and really enjoying each other’s company throughout the afternoon. Following a delicious evening meal it was time to contact home before watching the dance show. A couple of stunning solo acts from Elena and Maria who were then joined by Charlotte for a ‘Little Mix’ mash-up; the video proves just how professional and polished the performances were.
Once the popcorn had popped we all settled down to watch, ‘Swallows and Amazons’ in the theatre. Pillows and duvets were strongly encouraged andI had never heard children applauding at the end of a movie before – I guess Jade and Vicky picked well! Finally it was time for hot chocolate and relaxing in the Common room. It spoke volumes about how tired some of the children are as they started to head upstairs to bed before being asked by their tutors.
Sleep-tight L&E South: the sun will come out tomorrow and we have another busy, exciting and enlightening day ahead of us.
For more photos from Wednesday click here
Thursday, 3rd August
After a rainy day on Wednesday everyone was looking forward to the chance to get outside in the sun. Now, we might not have ended up with the completely rain free day Sarah had promised us but that did not stop us and the morning was filled with activities off site.
Those studying English headed into Salisbury to put into practice what they had been learning in lessons. They were split into groups and with the help of an able tutor they had to find their way around the city while completing a scavenger hunt.
The rest of the campers headed out to the New Forest to explore the lovely countryside. They used a GPS device to find Geo Cache orienteering points and had to work as a team to navigate. The campers all reunited after their excursions over a lovely chilli con carne for lunch.
The afternoon was filled with exciting activities; campers showed off their skills on the football pitch and helped to prepare decorations for the theme night ahead of them. Half of the camp headed out for an adventurous afternoon at the water park, jumping and splashing their way around the inflatable obstacle course, lots of fun was had by all!
The day finished with an extravaganza of a theme night. Forres Sandle Manor had the pleasure of welcoming famous World Leaders to dinner, this included Cleopatra, the Queen (x2), Ghandi, Napoleon, Teresa May, and Beyoncé. After being struck down by a natural disaster the campers had to step in and take up the mantle to lead the country. Teams competed in a range of challenges to see who would be strong enough to take the lead, some excelled in grape throwing while others showed their memory skills navigating their way across a minefield game. The night culminated in Team 6 winning the evening’s events and will hopefully be worthy world leaders.
It has been a fantastic day at South Camp, and we have so much more to look forward to!
For more photos from Thursday click here
Friday, 4th August
As the final day for some campers approached, we were greeted with some glorious sunshine and tasty waffles and syrup for breakfast. With bellies pleasingly full, the campers headed on down for the final game of dodgeball of the week.
The very excitable campers (and tutors!) set off to the waterpark for their adventure option where they bounced, jumped and spectacularly slipped into the water and off the obstacles including trampolines, stepping stones and swings. It is safe to say that Ashleigh and Rowena need a fair bit more practice before they try again! Our budding musicians got in touch with their inner song writers to create a fabulous song about the four seasons to the theme tune of ‘if you’re happy and you know it’ which went down a treat with the other campers. Our sporting superstars took to the AstroTurf for a hockey session with Vicki and Jade, which saw Hongjie and Josephine stand out from the crowd with their sporting prowess.
A traditional English meal of ‘bangers and mash’ awaited the campers for lunch, which seemed a success as their meals vanished within minutes of arrival! The annual L&E triathlon was postponed due to the lack of bicycles; therefore Sophie and Sammey put their heads together and created a fantastic afternoon which saw the children participate in ‘The Italian Job Relay’. This saw the children split into groups and competing against each other to win more tools and ammunition for the water fight at the end of the afternoon. The children took part in 5 different team events, a ten legged race, a penalty shootout, a Mario-cart timed race, a swimming drag race and ending with eating a biscuit in the fastest time. Hawaiian took the winners medal which resulted in the ‘Pizza’ half of the campers gaining access to water pistols and more water balloons than the ‘Pasta’ team. A quick dip in the pool to warm up after the water fight and a fantastic afternoon of team building, meant that the campers had plenty of time to get themselves ready for the upcoming Oscars evening.
An important part of L&E tradition is to celebrate the achievements and successes that the campers have shown throughout the week and we almost certainly weren’t short of these moments tonight! From Ghassan the camp joker to the kind Beatrice, we had plenty to cheer about. The deserving Moin had the honour of being the recipient of the first ever L&E South camp Star Camper award which is fully deserved and he goes home with some super exciting L&E merchandise to wear!
As the first week of L&E South comes to an end we can look back at some fantastic memories and some wonderful friendships created. We say goodbye to a few campers and hello to a few more on Sunday! But first the campers have a very exciting trip to London tomorrow so are tucked up in bed getting some rest ready for an incredibly busy day!
For more photos from Friday click here
Saturday, 5th August
The campers from L&E South Camp ventured to the big smoke today to explore London and all its glories! They managed to fit a huge amount into the day visiting the Queen at Buckingham Palace, Covent Garden for some shopping and spent some of their pennies in many of the wondrous shops. Campers visited Harrods to window shop, for many international designers, and then spent some time roaming the food hall to see all the wonderful pastries. They had a great time in Hamley’s checking out all the new and top toys for 2017! They also enjoyed the delights of China Town and many Old English Sweet Shops along the way! They picnicked in Hyde Park, enjoying the beautiful flowers blooming and one of the groups managed to get to the Science Museum and were blown away by the natural disasters exhibit. With tired legs, bellies full of ice cream and sweets and smiles on their faces, we left the big city to head back to camp. It was a wonderful day, with lots of new experiences, laughter and most importantly great friends to share it with.
For more photos from Saturday click here
Sunday, 6th August
It has been a busy day here at L&E with a group of campers off to Oxford for the day and the other ventured to the delights of Fordingbridge where they paddled in the river, explored the village and saw the sweet shops! The weather was very kind to us and there was lots of smiles and excitement over the visiting ducks.
This evening, the many happy South campers welcomed lots of new faces to another fantastic week of L&E! Lots of seasoned campers helped the new children to their dorms and then we enjoyed a glorious BBQ on the terrace. Then the fun began! Many games were played on the field including a very heavily contested game of capture the flag. There were some very impressive manoeuvres from both tutors and pupils to avoid detection in enemy territory.
With hot chocolate warming their bellies they went off to bed and although took a while to quieten down, they are now asleep unaware of the incredible plan the tutors have devised for the week ahead.
For more photos from Sunday click here
Monday, 7th August
Day one, and what a ‘rippa’ of a day it was. From surviving the waters of Fordingbridge, to making sure impacts from heights were going to make crucial members of our team not crack…as the wise Mr Dumpty once said “Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.” Time to get serious though, all the kids were safe throughout the whole day. The morning began with our usual breakfast but a victory was foreseen in the future but what was it to be? Some kids to finally shower? Sammy to keep her clothes dry while swimming? Or none one to trip up the stairs? However, low and behold, the Tutors finally won dodge ball against the kids, not once but twice!
After the great celebrations by the Tutors, the kids then chose to either build mini rafts to race down the river in Fordingbridge, lifesaving skills in the pool or create a dance video. At one point, Will thought he could walk on water during the lifesaving skills session but, needless to say, he ended up quite wet. We are yet to see this dance video but after hearing the stories and hearing the laughter, one can only imagine how great the video will be. Mini raft building was a great success, not one raft sunk and all managed to finish the race.
The day seemed to race away and the ice breaking evening was soon upon us. Get to know bingo was lots of laughs with Amelia taking home the bragging rights with the win. Teams were then formed and eggs needed protecting from falling from great heights. Surprisingly 4 out of the 6 teams managed to protect their egg from the world champion egg thrower Sarah and weren’t they proud of it. By the end of the night, many laughs were shared and new friendships made.
For more photos from Monday click here
Tuesday, 8th August
Today the heavens opened but with ham and cheese croissants for breakfast, and 3 out of 4 wins for the kids in dodgeball, L&E wasn’t rained off.
The day began with many exciting activities. In sport, a moist game of tag rugby. Our young adventurers set off on a Bear Grylls hike to the forest to build a log den and out mega-huge creative group of magnet makers, sculpting treasures to stick on the fridge. The English group learned about hobbies with a classic game of pictionary with big man, Will.
Lunch was beef or mushroom and broccoli pie with lots of lovely jelly to get us wobbling onto the next activities. The adventurers bounced off the inflatables, at The New Forest aqua park with a particular shout out to Mr Oliver who fearlessly climbed the iceberg and leaped off without a crumb of fear! Others laughed their way through a benchball session, showing off their mad skills with the tunes booming. Another group of campers headed to the stables to ride some elephants/horses. There was notable improvement from everyone, particularly the beginners doing rising trots on their second day, yeeeehaaaaah!!
Water polo in the pool, fajitas and chocolate brownies for tea then off to the bonfire for some games, songs and marshmallows. A huge variation of performers and languages, learning campfire songs that we will always remember. Everyone’s confidence is building, friendships are becoming stronger, brains are boggling and fun is bellowing throughout our beautiful L&E South camp.
Bring on tomorrow!
For more photos from Tuesday click here
Wednesday, 9th August
After a scrummy breakfast, mid-week of camp commenced with the usual lively game of dodgeball, which never fails to get everyone up and ready for the day (even with the dollop of British rain).
After the warm-up, the English class started a show-stopping morning of screen-play and story-writing. Sequined masks, pink feather boas, flamboyant hats and giant glasses aided the prodigy actors and writers.
The new L&E sport activity of Acro-Yoga proved to be a great hit with the campers. All sorts of shapes and balancing acts were performed by the budding acrobats/yogis with mind-blowing flexibility and strength! Meanwhile, the creative among us had a tie-dye session, where white t-shirts were transformed into multi-coloured spiralled art-work.
Over in the woods, the adventurous were ‘cameoed up’ and preparing for survival. ‘The Island with Shane and Wilson’ (release date Feb 2018) involved the campers using natural tools to make dams, fires and dens; in order to overcome the natural elements.
After a feast of meatballs and pasta for lunch, the afternoon kicked off with a badminton and table tennis extravaganza tournament. The winners were Yu and Shizuku in badminton and Daniel and Adam in table tennis.
In the art room, vibrant paper-mache dragon egg making and face painting captivated the young Picassos.
The adventurous horse riders had another fantastic day where there was great progress with all the riders. The last of the campers went to the water-park for a whirl-wind adventure of kayaking and paddle-boarding.
After an exhausting day, the campers had a relaxing evening curling up in their pyjamas and duvets to the classic movie, “School of Rock”.
For more photos from Wednesday click here
Thursday, 10th August
The midnight oil is burning and another day is done,
The campers awoke to sunshine and another day of fun.
A breakfast of waffles, sausages and spaghetti hoops,
Set the day up although everyone was pooped.
In the dodgeball hall, there was quite the commotion,
Everyone enjoyed the rapid motion.
The climbing wall returned and the monkeys ascended,
While in water polo, the players defended.
Pottery making in the sunshine yielded some wonderful pieces,
And the adventurers took on photo orienteering without their fleeces.
Post-scrummy lunch and off to the beach we went,
A wonderful afternoon in the sunshine we spent.
Sandcastles and swimming, ice cream and grinning,
Heading back to the bus, queue the cliff-top singing.
Back at camp, young padawans got in their stride,
Trying to bring Darth Vader back to the good side.
The evening ended with an aquatic battle on the moor,
Hot chocolate followed, we all hit the floor.
For more photos from Thursday click here
Friday, 11th August
On the penultimate day of camp, it was a very weary start as the campers made their way down the stairs to breakfast. With the breakfast bell ringing, a few more times than normal, campers finally followed the smell of Belgium waffles which wafted from the kitchen. With camper’s bellies full, it was time to dodge, duck and weave in the grand final of the tutors vs campers dodgeball rivalry. The soft ball whizzed around the hall, flying millimetres from campers as they dove out of the way of the tutor’s wrath…well that is how we saw it. The tutors were cowering from the onslaught of dodgeballs being hurled their way. They managed to pick it up in the final game, but in the end, it was another devastating loss.
After our morning warm up the campers went off to their morning activities. The sport group tried their hand at some tennis and hockey, pushing a pulling the hockey ball across the artificial surface whilst a mini Wimbledon game was going on. The creative students painted their clay sculptures in the sunshine appreciating the natural beauty around them. The adventurers tried their hand at some campfire cooking, with some very damp logs! Lunch was a feast of a truly English classic of: sausages, mash and beans!
This afternoon a group of campers went for their last horse riding lesson and had a lovely time galloping around the stables and managed to do some little jumps on their ponies. The rest of the camp participated in the weekly sporting competition. This week it was a mega triathlon, seeing all campers giving it there all in either their individual events or team efforts!
Everything was leading to one of the main events of the week, the Oscars! Supper was filled with chicken nuggets, chips and lots of excitement for the impending awards ceremony. The evening was filled with acro-yoga presentations and an extraordinary music video from the creative crew! Many of our campers were awarded for their talents and kindness, with Novella being awarded out Star Camper of the week!
It has been a fantastic two weeks of South camp and with a slightly heavy heart we say goodbye to the 2017 summer of L&E, which has been filled with many smiles, new friends, experiences and most of all a summer of fun! As the final song ‘Grease lightning’ brought the disco to the end, there were many tears and hugs as the campers said goodnight to the final time. It has been a blast L&E! We can’t wait till next Summer!
For more photos from Friday click here
North Camp Diary – Week 4
31 July 2017
Sunday, 30th July
The campers slowly filtered into Aysgarth School this evening from all across the globe, coming from as far as Hong Kong! After enjoying a BBQ the kids said goodbye to their families and got stuck into the evening activities.
The first evening gives us the chance to get to know each other through some fun camp games, which everyone gets involved in. Tonight we began with packman, a camp game that mimics the arcade game as the children follow the designated lines in the sports hall making sure they do not get tagged. We then play a game of Zap, which is a game of fast reflexes and instincts. Following that we played various forms of what is called stuck in the mud in the UK, this tests kids balance, cunning, agility and speed. Following that we played a game of fruit basket, which is another game of concentration and speed, as children sprint around the gym in teams attempting to be the first into their respective fruit baskets. Finally we finished the games off with a classic camp game of 40/40, which is a mix of hide and seek and tag.
As you can probably tell the evening was jammed packed and following the evenings activities we came in for a hot chocolate to relax before getting ready for bed. After giving a small talk, giving the kids an idea of what lies in store this week, we all went up to our different rooms for the evening and got to know each other a little before settling into bed. It has been a great first evening and we’re sure it will be a brilliant week with a brilliant set of campers.
For more photos from Sunday click here
Monday, 31st July
The day started with eggs, the day ended with eggs. Now let us tell you what happened in between…
Our final week’s campers woke up surprisingly early to beautiful sunshine (for ten minutes) and tucked into eggs and soldiers for breakfast. The group then headed down for their dodge ball debut, which they all enjoyed. After wiping the floor with the tutors, the campers then chose their morning activities: the creative kids brought their consequences stories to life with the magic of multimedia, the sportsmen and women amongst us battled the blustery conditions during a morning of tennis, and the adventurers headed off in luxurious Lenny (the Land Rover) to Aysgarth Falls where they wandered alongside the torrent that has become the River Ure since our last excursion. Safe to say they would not be swimming today, but it was an enjoyable outing all the same as the weather held up until we left.
After filling up at lunchtime, the afternoon activities commenced. Sport was volleyball, which went down a treat, and in the creative session the campers completed the other half of photos of our very own tutors. This afternoon’s adventurers returned to Aysgarth Falls, where they explored another part of the river, in awe of the raging rapids. After some hill rolling races and an ice cream to cool us off, we headed back to the homestead for an evening of icebreaker games.
Campers new and old became friends as they worked together to complete challenging tasks set for them by our tutors. The games flew by as the sun set, and everybody gathered around for the grand finale – the egg drop. Each group’s eggs were secured using the various items provided, and we all watched on as eggs were either scrambled or saved by the campers’ eggcellent inventions. Many were scrambled, but a few were salvaged!
Hot chocolate and bed ended the exciting evening, with all the campers ready and raring for the week ahead.
For more photos from Monday click here
Tuesday, 1st August
The 1st August, a date all L&E North Campers will now remember as Yorkshire Day. Waking up, the campers were treated to a traditional Yorkshire morning of sunshine and croissants… okay, maybe not quite traditional, but still fantastic!
The morning consisted of a variety of exciting activities: the creative bunch made eye-catching dream-catchers, which will ensure your loved ones are sleeping safely and soundly tonight. On the other hand, the children with a little more energy were put through their paces in an intense sports session. The children played Ultimate Frisbee, Handball, Benchball and some high-intensity catching games. As well as this, Tuesday is of course ‘Scuba Day’ which meant our experienced divers got the chance to show off their skills, and new divers got the chance to try something amazing. After a filling lunch of sausages and Yorkshire puddings (not the last you’ll hear about these), the campers got the chance to scuba again. As well as that, the sporting bunch got the chance to showcase their footballing skills, and excitingly, the creative children built their very own paper- airplanes – these weren’t your average paper-airplanes, they were carefully crafted, intricately designed flying machines. Then, it was time for the big event itself: the Yorkshire Olympics. You may be wondering what this is, and you’d be right to do so because it’s something we invented today! 7 events, all of which somehow involved the use of Yorkshire puddings. We had children throwing, catching, kicking, carrying Yorkshire puddings all afternoon, as well as developing their understanding of local phrases. Never before has a Portuguese girl uttered the words, “Ey up r kid!” Come to L&E if you want something new and different!
After a relaxed evening swim and tasty tea, the children headed down to what was to be the final campfire of the year for the North Camp. This meant that the children were singing merrily away, with older campers keen to teach newer campers the songs they’d learnt. The tutors watched in awe, as seemingly shy and quiet children got up to belt out their favourite songs, as everyone laughed and joked around the blazing fire. Instead of marshmallows, the children toasted Yorkshire puddings around the fire and were giggling away at their amusing end to the night. Rest assured though, the children did get their marshmallows in a comforting hot chocolate before bed. The perfect end to the perfect Yorkshire Day.
There once was a camp called L&E
Where children go and make no enemies
Only to make friends and have lots of fun
Where bonds are made and are never undone
Here’s to another day full of vibrant energy
For more photos from Tuesday click here
Wednesday, 2nd August
Yet another blissfully rainy day fell upon L&E, however the children hopped out of bed and got down to breakfast just as normal. After brushing their teeth the traditional dodgeball games were played with courage, honour and massive throwing arms being displayed from both sides. After the dust settled from what was a fearless dodgeball battle the children chose their morning activities.
The creative option was egg protection. The children had to engineer a protective structure or design to make sure an egg could safely land once it was launched into the air by a water balloon cannon. Michael’s egg was the only one to survive the landing. The sports option was quick cricket, with enthusiasm and warm catching hands the children began playing adn some incredible catches were made and countless runs were made. Special mention goes out to Panashe for his two stunning one handed over the head catches.
The activity for those who selected English was pizza making. After the rest of the camp heard that there was a sudden influx of new English students! After a hearty lunch and a little down time the children began their afternoon activities.
The sports option was water polo which came out as one of the more popular options. Water polo in itself is a difficult game, however the children took to it like fish to water. The creative children dabbled in a little Coca Cola and mentor rocket building as well as water rocket building. After launching the water rocket so far that they lost it, they began on their Coca Cola rockets. The adventure option that was run throughout the day was canoeing, the children braved the cold lake in canoes, paddling around having a blast. Once the rain began the canoeing came to a stop and the children jumped off the jetty into the lake.
After a long day of full on fun, adventure and creativity the children watch a movie tonight to wind down. Following the movie is a delightful cup of hot chocolate to set them up for a good night rest.
The day ends with the tutors visiting their dorms and having chat with the children, jokes are made, advice is given and as the tutors leave the room the children fall asleep to get rest for the next day.
For more photos from Wednesday click here
Thursday, 3rd August
The morning arrived with some heavy showers as some of our campers braved the conditions to go rock climbing and despite the cold and wet weather the kids had an exciting time in yorkshire’s stunning natural settings. The others stayed on camp to enjoy some morning Yoga inside swell as some dodgeball.
After dodgeball the morning activities started which included boardgame making, where we tested the kids inventiveness and saw who could designthe best new game. We then tested out the finished products having a great time. In English everyone enjoyed a murder mystery game, where an elaborate plot was created by the teachers that the kids were involved in. After getting in character, which included fancy dress, the kids acted out the scene and enjoyed the process of working out who the murder was. The other children enjoyed a morning of mixed sports in the sportshall which allowed them the chance to try out any games they hadn’t in the week before. We played bench ball, handball and ultimate frisby, all games that focus on teamwork which everyone enjoyed getting involved in.
By lunchtime everyone was ready to enjoy their meal and refuel for the afternoon session. Some campers again went off rock climbing in much friendly weather conditions and had a great time scaling the Yorkshire cliffs as well as abseiling down them. The kids who stayed on camp played badminton and also enjoyed some gymnastics and aerobics sessions. Elsewhere kids were given free reign in the art room to work on some of their previous work as well as working on new paintings, drawings and designing their own bags.
After an afternoon swim everyone came in for dinner and then got ready for this evening theme night. The theme was world leaders and the kids were given the interesting plot of an Alien invasion. With some great outfits from both children and staff getting everyone in the mood, we headed to the school theatre for a world peace conference, however something was not quite right as the leaders of the conference such as Vladimir Putin, Donald Trump and Theresa May, played by out staff, were slowly being taken hostage. The kids soon figured out that Aliens had abducted the leaders and were planning to attack earth. In order to save the day the kids were split into groups and partook in several activities and challenges through which they were given a code that defeated the aliens. It was a great evening with lots of laughter and fun. The kids succeeded in their tasks and the aliens were defeated.
By the time theme night was over and the kids had had some hot chocolate we all got into pyjamas and headed to bed. It was another great day at camp and we look forward to tomorrow, our last day; lets make the most of it!
For more photos from Thursday click here
Friday, 4th August
The final day fell upon L&E, and for the first time this week, the sun shone down upon us all day long. The camp obviously takoook full advantage of this. Breakfast was served then the camp moved on over to dodgeball, where as usual the competition was fierce, skills that had never been seen before were brought out for the final day, trick plays, fake throws, ladies and gentlemen your children had it all.
After the dodgeballs had stopped bouncing the children awaited their morning activities. The sports option was touch rugby, where the children learned the fundamentals to play one of the greatest games on earth, a special mention going out to the warrior that is Lauren who played through a shaky ankle showing true bravery. The creative option was the long awaited science experiment morning. Attracting most of the caldrons attention, the creative activity was a hit, displaying amazing feats of science and chemistry. The adventure option was campfire cooking, (so when your sons or daughters get home ask them to cook you some “fire bread”). The campfire cooking is always a massive success at L&E and today was no different.
In the afternoon was the famous L&E Triathlon, where the children competed in a gruelling 3, 5 or 7 lap swim of the pool, an impassable obstacle course and then a run to finish. The competitors showed great dedication to the events with Alice and Andrea changing from the 3 length event to the 7 length event because they wanted to challenge themselves. After completing the triathlon and catching their breath the children then moved over to the water slide. A massive sheet of tarpaulin coated in soap and water sounds like the best final afternoon anyone could ask for. When the tutors said that it was time to get showered and clean after the slide the children had a rebellion and through sheer will power they kept the slide running.
After dinner the campers were treated to a surprise ice cream van……the chimes played to the children’s surprise and they all ran out to get a cone! It was then soon time to get dressed up and head the performing arts centre for the Oscars Ceremony. Many performances were shown at the ceremony, Sam, Joe and Holly put on an amazing show with the diablo, Anna and Johanna sang and danced to the famous song ‘Eye of the Tiger’, sending shivers down the spine of the audience members, Kai and Michael would have done Penn and Teller proud with their amazing magic tricks, with an incredible disappearing act performed right before the audience’s eyes, the pair completed their show. Faye performed a song form the movie Moana which touched the soul of everyone who had seen the movie. The gymnastics fans were pleased that our very own camp tutor Will Smith (not to be confused with the super famous actor) and Alice performed a gymnastics routine, the routine had a comedy aspect which was played by Alice pretending that she couldn’t do gymnastics, her poor form made the crowd giggle and Will’s best efforts made the crowd cheer, the perfect mix! A special mention goes out to Sven who won the Star camper award for this week. The tutors couldn’t think of a more deserving winner of the award and were proud to give it to Sven. He has been influential not he sports field, dodgeball court and creative sessions and has displayed all the characteristics of a star camper.
Once the oscars disco died down and the children got dressed into their pyjamas, the drank a warm cup of hot chocolate and move towards their bedrooms. Their tutors have their reflections on the week that has passed and look forward the following year. We look forward to seeing all your fantastic children this following year!
After 4 weeks we’ve reached our last day,
For many weeks longer we wish we could stay,
Camp’s in the North,
Camp’s in the South,
From the highest of hills to the old river mouth,
We’ve covered the land with adventure and sport, not forgetting creative
Whose results we support.
With trips to bedale
And aysgarth falls,
Masham was a highlight
Exciting for all.
The tutors and children
Smiles on their face
Friday pm the triathlon race,
Another year gone,
And it’s almost September,
But the summer we’ve had, we’ll forever remember.
For more photos from Friday click here
North Camp Diary – Week 3
24 July 2017
Sunday, 23rd July
It wasn’t promising weather for this weekend’s campers, whose planned trip to Whitby looked ominous. But as the camp tutors predicted the sun did grace us at sunny Whitby! It was a wonderful day full of seaside sweet shops, beach cricket and of course a trip to Poundland!
On Sunday, there were several tearful campers and tutors as we said goodbye to last week’s campers. Not long after that the excitement kicked in for our new arrivals. Many of the ‘old hands’ were there to welcome the lovely, bright new faces. New friends were made within minutes and games of pool and ping pong were created as the rain confined us to the main house. Our lovely planned BBQ was relocated indoors and the children enjoyed the burgers and chicken that was on offer. With parents being bid farewell, it was time for the games to begin.
With a quick dash through the downpour to the sports hall, many a game of fruit basket, stuck in the mud and bulrush commenced. The children had a great time getting to know each other and with hot chocolate in their bellies, new friends made it was time for bed. As the whispers quieten down the excitement builds for L&E North camp week 3.
For more photos from Sunday click here
Monday, 24th July
Campers woke up this morning under a grey sky but very keen on enjoying their first day of the week. After having eaten a delicious breakfast, they took the road leading to the sports center for our first session of morning dodgeball. Whilst being very competitive, every one got to throw the ball around and try out new strategies based on the Roman army, using gymnastic mats as shields to counter the balls. This early warm-up ended on a crushing victory of the kids over tutors, who were wildly outnumbered.
Campers then went into their different morning groups. Creative did stop-motion and a bunch of new ideas were found very popular throughout the group. The English class went on a treasure hunt and very much enjoyed learning new words, in the most comical way. In sport, plenty of energy was spent in the sports hall during an incredible indoor football session. The brand new French class was launched today in L&E with 5 children eager to learn a new language. The session was highly engaging and all had a great time.
In the afternoon, the sporty amongst us tried their talents at a session of waterpolo. An intense, but fun effort, as always in sports here at L&E.
In adventure, another exciting treasure hunt was proposed to kids during the 1st half and a nice walk offsite to finish the session evolved.
The creative group started a music video with another great set of costumes for the children. The children when from set to set and had fun creating new scenes.
Dinner was a feast of fish, sausage and salad which was devoured by tutors and campers. It was then time for…”icebreakers” one of the most important nights of L&E. All teams gave their best in the different tasks that they had to do. Several sprints and egg throwing events were on the menu and hot chocolate was offered as a reward. Everyone went to bed, having had a great evening and looking forward to the new day at L&E!
For more photos from Monday click here
Tuesday, 25th July
After beginning the day with a sumptuous breakfast of scrambled eggs on toast, the campers of L&E prepared for the day ahead with the age old morning activity of dodgeball. They ducked, dived, dipped and dodged their way to success, and moved on to a variety of morning activities.
The adventure options today consisted of the all day adventure scuba diving experience, which proved extremely popular amongst campers, as well as extreme fire preparation for tonight’s campfire, and also provided the opportunity to cook a few morning treats. Vegetable based painting was the creative inspiration of the day, making pictures using onions, peppers and also potatoes.
The sporting endeavour this morning was indoor kickball, progressing from the previous dodgeball session to an energy fuelled competitive session were fun was had by all. I’m English the students went on a bear hunt, surveying the school grounds to find an elusive bear, whilst experiencing the versatile facilities aysgarth has to offer. Finally our French students studied and sampled the many aspects of a traditional French breakfast, working on their language skills all the while.
Following a cracker of a curry at lunchtime, the ever reliable British weather decided to give us a glorious afternoon, and henceforth an afternoon of outdoor themed activities commenced. The sport option was a return of the immensely popular touch rugby, where a small tournament engaged between students inclusive of all, no matter of age and rugby playing experience. The creative bunch excelled in tie dying socks, each turning a simple white pair into a psychedelic fashion statement that wouldn’t be out of place on any parisian runway. Due to the fortunate turn in weather, campers got another go on last week’s favourite, the waterslide, slipping and sliding their way to the bottom of our slope in a fun filled hour.
The daily swim was next, followed by a pizza, wedges and vegetables, with all left in the day now being the highly anticipated campfire. Down by the fireside we had many group performances, with camp favourites such as ‘boo-chicka-roo’ going down particularly well. Then some excellent solo performances from the likes of Greta and Siena were followed by campfire games and a toasted marshmallow or two. The day ended with a nice hot chocolate, and then all went to bed.
For more photos from Tuesday click here
Wednesday, 26th July
Sausages and bread, we had for breakfast (say fast in southern accent)
Then to dodgeball, where we had a blast
Whilst some of our brave adventurers
Took to the water to become canoe emperors
In creative, the children took to the hills
Creating papier mâché volcanos, oh such thrills
The sporting option for morning,
Indoor hockey, goals without warning
Some went for a walk
Wilson, the children had to stalk
Then a much-needed lunch
Noodles eaten by all with a munch
Whilst another group set off to canoe
Those left in camp had a quick brew
The shuttle cocks went flying,
Badminton the children were trying
In creative we danced with Hayley
A routine that we must practise daily
After dinner, we had some time to chill
To reflect on the day that was such a thrill
We watched Jungle Book, all snuggled together
Hoping that tomorrow, we’ll have nicer weather
The week is still young and we’re all excited
To continue our journey, all united.
For more photos from Wednesday click here
Thursday, 27th July
We all woke up this morning surprised how quickly the week is going. After a lovely breakfast and some dodgeball to wake everyone up, the excitement of the days events began.
In English classes horror stories were written, acted out and filmed ready for being presented at the Oscars awards tomorrow, along with music videos in French lessons.
In creative, final touches were made to the volcanoes created yesterdasy and they are now ready for erupting. Others used their creative skills to prepare for tonight’s theme night and we made and decorated piñatas.
Meanwhile, others were splashing about in the pool playing volleyball and the adventurers were off monkeying about climbing rock walls. After lunch, the fun exploded as rockets were created and blown off with water to shower everyone. A competitive tournament of indoor benchball and handball ensued and more adventurers went rock climbing.
We all enjoyed a deserved dinner and finally it was time to let the wild fun of the theme night – jungle book, to commence!
Costumes were put together and we all got into character of our favourite jungle animals. We embraced our musical sides with dancing, defeated piñatas, cracked riddles, painted and tested our pack abilities as wolves. In the end we succeeded in defeating sheer Khan and were able to create the firery ‘red flower’.
After all the excitement of the day it was time to wind down with some hot chocolate before heading to bed, where some impressive bedtime stories were told by Tashy, and everyone settled to bed, ready for tomorrow’s fun and games.
For more photos from Thursday click here
Friday, 28th July
After a fantastic and enjoyable Jungle Book theme night it took the campers a little longer to be roused from their beds this morning. However, when they made it downstairs there was a yummy breakfast was waiting for them as were the tutors with smiles on their faces.
Breakfast was soon done and dusted and it was then time for what is usually the fast and furious and fiercely competitive morning dodgeball however this morning there was a twist as also on offer was the more relaxing yoga to re- centre and prepare us ready for the day ahead.
As usual there were lots of different activities on offer this morning to cap off an exciting week. In French the group spent the morning rehearsing for their performance at the oscars which was epic! I think it is safe to say that all the girls have enjoyed learning French and have definitely improved with thanks to our resident French tutor Baptiste – it was lovely to see all of the group personally thank him at the Oscars.
In English this morning the group ventured out in the local town of Bedale with a list of items to find. All impressed and some creative options for some of the things on the list where found. Some campers took it upon themselves when asked to find a old thing to buy a financial times and change the year on it! Most items on the list where ticked off and everyone stayed together which was the most important thing to Sam and Paul! In creative they made the most of Hayley’s creative skills before she leaves us this weekend and made and launched water bottle rockets. They were a great success and shot high into the sky – make sure you check the videos out! One of the other creative options was making jigsaws out of the campers favourite things.
The sportsmen and women amongst the camp had a great morning playing extreme pool games – I am told a lot of splashing happened.
Food was on the agenda in adventure and the campers used the skills they had learnt earlier in the week to build a fire so that they could make bread and cook apples. Apparently they were yummy!
The afternoon saw the weekly L&E triathlon happening. With the shortage of any bikes the bike leg of the triathlon was changed to an obstacle course involving fancy dress and dribbling in and out of cones. The final finish was a scramble up the water slide to the line. The campers could choose to complete it in groups with one person doing each leg or individually and also the level of difficultly. The winning team on the longest course consisted of Simon, Matthew and Sam – special mention must go to Adrien who was close to the team time and he did it on his own.
Once the timers had been stopped and the winners calculated the daily swim commenced alongside with a highly competitive mini football match. Campers also took the time to do some drawing and explode the volcanos they built earlier in the week. Some of the campers also took the opportunity to rehearse in preparation for their performances at the Oscars this evening.
Then came the most anticipated night of camp…… the oscars. The dresses and ties were donned and that wasn’t just the tutors for an evening to celebrate what has been a highly successful week at L&E North. We enjoyed some fabulous performances including Sienna dancing, Fay singing, Hubert’s pub quiz , a dance from Georgi, charlotte, Maria, Sofia, a performance from the French group, a piano performance from Greta as well as all the usual videos and awards to honour all the amazing campers. The winner of the this weeks star camper was Greta, who was a popular choice amongst the campers and staff.
As the week draws to a close the sadness of saying goodbye to staff and campers who are leaving us this week starts but the memories of the times we have had together will last forever. L&E is such a special place and we are all lucky to be a part of it!
#LNENorth #week3 #summercamp #specialplace