We strongly advise that best clothes are not brought to camp. It is primarily an outdoor holiday where clothes are likely to get dirty. Items of clothing are also sometimes lost because they have no names marked on them.

The following list is not designed to be exclusive:

• Toiletries: soap, shampoo, towel, toothpaste, toothbrush etc
• At least four pairs of bottoms (Tracksuit/Leggings /Jogging Pants) including footwear.
• At least four t-shirts and three tops (hoodies or jumpers).
• Several changes of underwear.
• Wet weather clothing: waterproof coat, shoes or wellingtons.
• Trainers, t-shirts, shorts.
• Swimwear.
• Suitable footwear for wearing around camp (which can be kept dry).
• Sunhat and sun cream.

No bedding or sleeping bags are required, we supply all duvets, pillows, sheets etc. Please do not bring any electrical equipment. There is a chance it could get broken or lost. 

Mobile phones (smart watches and similar) are not allowed on camp. If your child does bring any electronic devices on Camp these will be stored safely and returned to the child upon their return to the drop off point, where they are returned to their parent/carer.  

Parents/carers whose children attend camp are kept up-to-date daily by the camp leader via a WhatsApp group and have the camp leader's phone number to contact them if need be. 

Mersea Island is a small tidal island off the Essex coast, connected to the mainland by a causeway called the Strood, which floods at high tide. This means that the island is cut off from the mainland 2 hours each day. There are doctors but no hospitals on the island.  Please think carefully about this information if there is a serious medical condition involved in your stay.

For the safety of the children in our care, we adhere to strict guidelines when handling all medications at camp. All camp staff handling medication during the week are First Aid qualified. 

Please make sure all prescribed medication being sent to camp for your child is in its original packaging.

The original packaging must;

• identify the person the medication is prescribed for
• display the name of the medication,
• display the dosage and the frequency of administration.

This information will be displayed on the label detailing the pharmacist who issued the medication.

Medications that may have been prescribed for your child just before the are due to come to camp, such as antibiotics, will be accepted by our First Aid Lead, providing all of the above requirements are fulfilled, in regards to the packaging of these medications.

We are unable to accept any over the counter bought medication for your child, under any circumstance. Please do not try and give these to any of our Weekly First Aiders as they will be unable to accept them.

Medication Handover

We need to collect all prescribed medication from parents/carers upon arrival at the drop off point before your child gets onto their bus. Do not pack your child’s prescribed medication in their suitcase. Each week has a designated First Aid Lead and a Second First Aid Lead. All prescribed medication must be handed over to the designated first aid leads, parents/carers will be required to sign a handover form at this point. All prescribed medication will be transported to camp by the First Aid Leads. Children will only be allowed to carry prescribed medication with them if they have been instructed to do so by their GP. For example, an inhaler.

Any prescribed medications left over at the end of your child’s week will be handed back to parent/carers on their return, by the First Aid Leads.

We reserve the right to refuse to take your child with us to camp if our rules for prescribed medication handover are not followed.

If there is anything you are worried about or would like to talk through before the camp, please email, Camp leader, Katy Ramsey, KatyR@svp.org.uk