The return of the Clare Youth Service summer camps is set to provide a great boost to children and parents across the county over the coming weeks.
The hugely popular camps which have served Banner children for four decades will return in person in Ennis and Shannon, albeit the numbers attending will be smaller in line with guidelines.
Thomas O’Hara of CYS said: “We are really excited to be able to offer an in-person summer camp this year. Summer camps are a great part of our calendar and are a great experience for our leaders who gain skills in organizing events for young people and children.”
“Summer camp leaders have been working hard to ensure a safe and fun summer camp with activities that are fun and interesting as well as safe for young people to participate in.”
Children will be divided into a two-hour camp in mornings and afternoons over 3 days from the 12th to the 14th of July in Ennis and from the 19th to the 21st of July in Shannon camps. The camps will be divided into the 7 to 9 age group from 10am to 12:00 pm and the 10 to 12 age group from 1pm to 3 pm.
For Clare Youth Service Summer camp leaders, it is all about having a great experience and creating one for the children of the camp.
Last year’s camps went ahead on a virtual basis and this provided a very unique experience for all, Camp Leader Elise Casey explains “Creating an online camp was a really eye opener. A lot of work went into the planning of the video and people had to put their trust in one another for it all to work.”
Her colleague, Meabh O’ Grady agrees, “It was strange because we hadn’t met any of the other leaders in person before and we didn’t all get to meet until the very end of the summer when restrictions lifted”
Both agree that they are excited to finally work together in an in-person camp and have been working hard behind the scenes to deliver at-home activity boxes to children in both Ennis and Shannon who did not get to take part in activities this year.
Places are filling fast and further information can be got from Thomas O Hara on 0858019666 (Shannon Camp) and Helena Slattery on 0858047580 (Ennis camp).