Asthma should not limit the lives of children and young people with the condition.
The theme of this year’s #AskAboutAsthma campaign is focused on helping children and young people with asthma live their best lives. Asthma should not limit the lives of children and young people with the condition. Part of the NHS England – London’s annual #AskAboutAsthma campaign is raising awareness on managing childhood asthma.
Head to their campaign page to discover their 4 asks – whether you’re at home, school/college or in your community – that you can do to help children and young people with asthma live their best lives.
Living your best life
At Over The Wall Camp, we know a thing or two about not letting your long-term health condition limit you and living your best life! Our residential and online activity camps help transform the lives of many children and young people living with long-term health conditions across the country. At our residential camps, you can challenge yourself to the climbing wall, canoe or zipline – as well as dance parties, painting and much more! When we say camp, we don’t mean tents – every camper has their own bed in a shared dorm room. In the evenings, you’ll have time during Cabin Chat to reflect on the day, your achievements and what you’ve enjoyed most alongside your other campers.
About our camps
Over The Wall’s free activity camps give children and young people with health challenges, as well as their families, a place to grow and feel they belong.
Our residential activity camps empower children with serious illness, and their families to explore new possibilities and rediscover the fun and magic of childhood. Our Therapeutic Recreation model ensures that campers receive long-term psychosocial benefits from their time at camp as well as having a fun and unforgettable experience. This might look like a boost in confidence and self-esteem and/or feeling like part of a community.
Campers are in safe hands with our staff team, dedicated volunteers and fully trained medical team. Our medical team is onsite 24/7 to keep campers safe at camp, so campers (and their families) can worry less and adventure more.
Our free residential camps are rated OFSTED Outstanding!
How can our camps support children and young people with asthma?
For children and young people with severe asthma, our camps are a place where they can feel safe and cared for, thanks to our brilliant medical team, who are on hand 24/7. These children may not have been able to participate in activities at school or clubs because of their condition but at camp, all our activities are adapted to suit the needs of our campers.
Children and young people with asthma who come to camp may benefit from increased confidence, self-esteem and self-belief. They may leave camp with a stronger sense of identity that goes beyond the limits of their condition. Camp allows them to be themselves, away from a traditional medical setting, where they are not defined by their condition – perhaps for the first time in their lives. The psychosocial benefits of our camps aren’t for the short term either. Many of our campers and their families report increased confidence and hope for the future that doesn’t go away once they have returned home.
The impact of camp
Almost 9 in 10 campers stated they ‘feel less isolated’ after camp.
4 in 5 campers say they ‘feel closer to [their] family’ after attending an Over The Wall Camp.
Over 9 in 10 campers say they ‘feel more positive about the future’ after attending an Over The Wall Camp.
98% of campers say they ‘are better able to overcome personal challenges’ and/or ‘feel more confident’ after attending an Over The Wall camp.
Who can come to camp?
We cater for over 130 illnesses and long-term conditions, including severe asthma. Our four-night residential camps, known as Health Challenge and Siblings camps are for children and young people with a long-term condition and/or their siblings to attend. Our two-night residential camps, known as Family Camps are for children and young people with a long-term condition and their whole family to attend.
There is no charge to attend camp. All of our camps are free for everyone, always.
Applications for Camp 2025 open in October. Be the first to hear when they open!
Keeping you safe
The health and safety of campers is our top priority at camp. You can find the Director of Nursing and the Nursing Coordinator – who lead the medical team – at every Health Challenge camp. Our medical team is made up of nurses, doctors and paramedics who volunteer with us.
At camp, our medical room is called The Beach Hut and our medical team are called Beach Patrol. They all wear pink t-shirts so they can be easily spotted in a crowd. This is to help de-medicalise camp as much as possible, so campers can enjoy their time at camp without being reminded of the hospital care that they might be used to.
Activities are purposefully adapted around the campers’ needs to avoid interrupting the activities and maximising fun.
We work closely with parents and families to ensure we can safely meet the medical needs of each child whilst at camp.
Online programme
During the autumn and winter, we also run our Camp in the Cloud programme. This is our virtual camp offering, allowing children and their families to experience the magic of camp from home! Receive everything you need in our Seriously Fun box sent straight to your door. Join us online for activities, dance parties and the opportunity to meet other like-minded families who understand what it’s like to live with a long-term condition.
Our next Camp in the Cloud is Sat 19th Oct. Check our website for more Camp in the Cloud 2024 dates and to apply!
Applications for Camp in the Cloud 2025 open in October. Register your interest here.
Applying to camp
Applying to our free camps is easy for referrers and parents/guardians. Follow the buttons below!
If you have any questions or concerns regarding the applicant or process, please contact us on 02392 477110 option 1 or campers@otw.org.uk.