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
• A separate towel and bag for use at the beach.
• 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. No aerosols please, as they can interfere with the fire detection system.

Mobile phones (smart watches and similar) are not allowed on camp. If your child does bring a mobile phone this 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.    

Children may wish to bring some spending money with them for use in the camp tuck shop and/or the village shops.  We would ask that they bring an absolute maximum of £35

The St Vincent de Paul Society (England & Wales) does not provide Personal Accident Insurance for children under 16 attending camp.

By allowing your child to go on Camp, you acknowledge and agree that:

• You are responsible for arranging your own Personal Accident Insurance for your child, if desired or required.
• The SVP accepts no liability for any injury, loss, or damage your child may sustain while undertaking activities related to this Vinnie Camp, except where required by law.
• Nothing in this disclaimer limits or excludes the SVP’s statutory duties or liabilities that cannot be lawfully limited or excluded.

NB - The SVP does carry out certain checks and risk assessments for all activities to ensure the safety of children that attend camp and has public liability insurance in place for everyone regardless of age.

Should you need to get a message to us or to your child during camp, you may call 01289 389213. Please be aware that, since we are off site for most of the day, your call may be answered by a member of our caretaking or kitchen staff who are unlikely be able to help you immediately. They will of course pass on your message and the appropriate person will call you back at the earliest opportunity.

We will ALWAYS call you in case of emergency. If you do not hear from us then you should assume that your child is happy and having a fantastic time at camp. 

We discourage regular phone contact as it is usually the main cause of homesickness. We are very experienced in dealing with this issue and if a child is distressed, we will make sure they contact you.

As part of the application process, we request details of parents/guardians, any communication with the camp is restricted to these named individuals.

Holy Island is a tidal island and is cut off from the mainland by water twice a day for approximately six hours each time. There are no doctors or hospitals on the island. However, should there be a medical emergency a helicopter for the island is available from the Coastguard helicopter based at Prestwick. The flying time to the island varies depending on weather conditions but it’s normal arrival time would be between 35 and 45 mins in good conditions. Ambulance crews can also be taken out to the island by Seahouses Lifeboat and patients can also be transported back to the mainland by the lifeboat 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.