This camp attracts up to 100 Wearside youngsters a year - including a young Dave Stewart - and its 100th event is this year

The answer is a very special boys camp which is celebrating its 100th meeting this year as long as the pandemic allows.

An annual ten-day camp has been held every year since 1912 with only the war years interrupting the record.

Now the camp, which attracts up to 100 youngsters, is planning its 100th meeting as long as Covid-19 allows.

Sunderland resident George Ford kindly provided the history of an event which has its roots in a Sunderland church.

He said: “The clergy at St Gabriel’s Church, Sunderland - B. Lasbrey and Gordon Vining, came up with the idea to hold a summer camp for boys of the parish. “However, they would not have expected this annual camp to last as long and certainly not expect that what will be the 100th camp is being threatened by a pandemic.

“The ten day camp has continued without a break, apart from the war years, since 1912 with numbers ranging from 50 to 100 each year.”

Children gathered for the first time at a site near Saltburn but the camp imoved to Seaton Point on the Northumberland coast until after the Second World War when the Tyne Valley near Riding Mill became its base.

George added: “The camp is a fairly unique institution. Boys sleep in bell tents each led by a tent officer. A large marquee is used for meals and entertainment. “There is a cookhouse with high quality food prepared by two ex-campers. The daily routine has not changed much since those early days with similar sporting competitions.

"Tent trophies are competed for and one, the ‘Camp Pot’ was introduced in 1921. Soccer, Tent Tidying and an unusual game called Podex had

trophies that followed.

"Incidentally rock star, Dave Stewart, was a Podex Trophy winner in 1964 and he was also a singsong performer – his first gig! Singsongs, services and ‘talks’

have been daily events.”

George asked: “How many ex Campers remember the Ford Rags? Team spirit at camp has been an ongoing focus. Recent activities added to the programme include mountain biking and orienteering."

He recalled the Camp Officer who each year had overall responsibility. They included Alf Tate, Bert Galloway, Larry Pratt, Jake Allen, Dave Crowe, and ‘other C.Os. who will be known to any St. Gabs camper from the 60’s onwards,” said George.

If Camp 2021 does go ahead, the CO will be Nigel Briggs and the ‘Woodsmoke Group’, who now organise the camp, are hoping it will go still ahead in July, said George.

He added: “There are places for those who have been before but they are keen to accept new campers, particularly the 11 – 14 age bracket.

"Camp Visitors’ Day will go ahead as usual and ex-campers are welcome on that day too."

He said the children of ex-campers would also be welcome. Those wanting to find out more should get in touch by emailing [email protected]

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