Sunderland boys summer camp back for 111th year - join the alumni which includes a rock star

Two weeks and counting to an event once attended by a Wearside music star.

That's the Woodsmoke Camp which is back for another year. And now, more details of the 11-day event for Sunderland children have been announced.

The attraction has been held every year since 1912 with only the war years interrupting the record.

Sing songs, football and plenty of banter

This year's fun begins on Tuesday, July 5 and lasts until Friday, August 4.

The camp is for boys aged 10-plus and there is football, midnight feasts, sing songs, river rafting, teamwork as well as 'plenty of banter'.

The event was the brainchild of clergymen at St Gabriel’s Church, Sunderland.

It was B Lasbrey and Gordon Vining who came up with the idea to hold a summer camp for boys of the parish in 1912. It has never looked back.

Marquees and meals aplenty

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

It was launched as a boys camp with boys sleeping 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.

Eurythmics star was there in the 60s

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

George Ford, who is one of the people involved in the event, said: "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.”

This year's summer camp website has been unveiled and it explains what is on offer as well as how to sign up.

How to sign up

A spokesman said: "The camp has been moulded over more than 100 years to create the perfect formula of activities, fun, friendship and reflection."

To find out more, visit the Woodsmoke website at https://woodsmokegroup.co.uk/#Home