1. automotive and vehicles
2. campers and rvs

Youth Sponsor: Pastor Adam Keough
17 Woodbreda Gardens
Belfast, Co Antrim
BT8 7JP, Northern Ireland
Ph: +44 (0)28 90 5000 77
Mob: +44 (0)7889 920 990
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.imyd.ie
Date: 25 June 2014
Dear Parent/Young Person,
Summer Camp Registration
Thank you for registering for this year’s Summer Camp. I’m sure you’ll be happy to know
that you will be joining with (hopefully) between 50 and 70 other children & young people
from across the Irish Mission for these exciting 9 days.
Please read the following carefully, as it contains information which you need to know
before coming to Camp. If you have any questions please get in contact with me using the
above contact details. Please note that from Friday 8th August you will need to contact me
by mobile as I will not have access to email but will be away from home.
Our website will also be kept fully up-to-date with all the latest information: www.imyd.ie.
You can also find us on Facebook: “Irish Mission Youth Department”; we are a Group.
Venue
The venue for this year’s camp is the same as last year: Portlick Scout Campsite, Glassan,
Athlone, Co Westmeath, Ireland. It is a 5-acre site on the Eastern shores of Lough Ree. The
campsite is 5km from Glassan village and about 14km from Athlone town.
How to get there
Organising travel to/from the site where the camp is being held is your own responsibility.
There are 3 main options:
1. By Car
2. By Minibus
3. By Bus/Train
1. Car
Below are directions for travelling to the site by car. “Portlick Campsite” is sign-posted from
Glassan Village to make it easier.
From Ballymahon...
Take the N55 south towards Athlone. Glassan Village is about 13km south of Ballymahon.
Just before you enter Glassan Village there is a right-hand turn signposted "Portlick 5km".
Take this road. (If you go past the Emo petrol station in Glassan you have gone too far.)
From Athlone...
From the Athlone bypass take the Exit for the N55 towards Ballymahon. Travel north along
the N55 for about 7km until you reach Glassan Village. Just before you leave Glassan village
there is an Emo petrol station on the left-hand side of the road. Just after the petrol station
is a left hand turn signposted "Portlick 5km". Take this road.
Then...
Follow the signs for “Portlick Campsite”.
Visit the Summer Camp page at www.imyd.ie for a Google Map.
2. Minibus / Coach
There will be some kind of transport travelling to the campsite on Tuesday 12th August and
returning on Wed 20th August. It will be leaving from Belfast SDA Church and making stops
at Banbridge SDA Church; City North Hotel, Drogheda (if necessary) and the McDonalds
Restaurant at The Liffey Valley Retail Park, Dublin (just off M50/N4).
The times have not yet been finalised but they will be aiming to arrive at the campsite
around 4.30pm, with the journey taking approximately 5 hours (including stops). The cost
for this service is £10 per person from Northern Ireland and €10 per person from the
Republic of Ireland (return travel included). Bookings for this transport are now being taken
on the Summer Camp webpage at www.imyd.ie and will be allocated on a first-come, first
served basis. There is limited space available, so please book ASAP. Payment for this service
will be accepted in cash upon pick-up.
3. Bus / Train
If you arrive on the bus or train into Athlone (on Tue 12th August) we will be happy to pick
you up at the train/bus station. However, you will need to let us know if you need to be
picked up by filling in a form online: www.imyd.ie - go to the Summer Camp section. We will
also be happy to make drop-off arrangements for the train/bus station after Camp.
Arrival & Departure Times
Camp registration will be on Tuesday 12th August from 4pm to 6pm. Please aim to arrive
during these times. The first meal provided will be tea on Tuesday 12th which will commence
at 6.30-7pm. Please do not arrive before 4pm as staff will not be on hand to supervise
campers during that time as they will be in a staff meeting. The campsite gates may be
closed to visitors and so even if you do arrive before 4pm you may not be able to get in!
Summer Camp finishes on the morning of Wednesday 20th August at 11am. The last meal
provided will be breakfast on that morning. We ask that everyone is collected between the
hours of 11am and 12pm that day.
Worships
Each morning and evening our speakers will be leading the staff and campers in our worship
times together. The theme for this year’s camp is “Light of the World”. Please remember to
bring a bible to Camp.
Accommodation
Sleeping accommodation: we will be providing the tents for everyone to sleep in. Each
camper will share a tent/tent compartment with at least one other person. All activities etc
will be outside or in the site hall. It is 9 days of out-doors in the sunshine – hopefully –
anyway (fingers crossed)  {Seniors are allowed to bring their own tent with prior consent please email [email protected] for more information.}
What to bring...
Everyone needs to bring their Bible, enough warm & summer clothes for the time you’ll be
there, raincoat, sports gear, wash stuff (yes, you’ll need to have a shower!), your passport /
travel documents (if you need them), pocket money, sleeping bag, sleeping mat (no frame
camp beds, please, although SMALLish air mattresses are ok so long as they don’t take up
too much room because remember you’ll have to share the space with others), a decent
torch with spare batteries (very important), cutlery – knife, fork, spoon, mug/cup, plate &
bowl (& spare ones if you think you will break some!), pillow, warm hat for the evenings
plus anything else you may require. Welly boots would be a good idea, too!!! It rains a lot!
Everyone will also need to make sure that they bring at least 2 pairs of trainers (one pair
should preferably be an old pair so they can get wet and dirty) and 2 towels, and their
swimming gear, including a swimming hat for the National Aquatic Centre. Everyone will be
taking part in water activities so please bring the stuff you need.
For Sabbath you are welcome to dress up, although this is not required – personally I will be
wearing “normal” clothes like the rest of the week!
…and what not to bring
Obviously there are certain items that are banned from Camp – alcohol, drugs, knives and
anything which may be considered as potentially harmful towards yourself or others. We
would discourage you from bringing any electrical equipment or anything valuable such as
mobile phones, iPod’s, Nintendo DS’s or similar items. Although there will be facilities for
charging mobile phones we cannot take any responsibility for the safety of any electrical
equipment – better safe than sorry, so why not leave them at home!
Please also do not bring sweets etc with you to camp! Sweet things, including drinks attract
flies and wasps (and if you’ve been there before you know that wasps need no excuse to be
attracted!). It is not permitted to bring items to sell at Camp. Please note that Camp leaders
cannot accept any responsibility for any valuables brought to Camp.
Code of Conduct
A copy of the Code of Conduct is given below. This Code of Conduct is for the safety and
enjoyment of everyone at Summer Camp. Please respect this.
This is a Christian Camp, run by the Seventh-day Adventist Church. As such, principles of Christian behaviour
form the foundation of how we relate to each other and to God. The following is expected of each camper &
member of staff: a) RESPECT: be respectful of yourself, others & God; b) APPEARANCE: dress appropriately for
the task & occasion; c) SAFETY: listen to, and do what the leaders ask.
Drugs (except, of course, for GP prescribed drugs), alcohol, smoking, cigarettes, substance abuse (e.g. glue
sniffing), stimulant drinks (e.g. Red Bull, Kick) are all banned from the Camp.
Bullying will not be tolerated.
Males / Females are not allowed in tents belonging to people of the opposite gender.
Worships usually take place twice a day and are compulsory, even for those who do not attend church.
Please do not swear or take God's name in vain.
Campers are not allowed off-site without the permission of a staff member.
Male/Female relationships between campers of 9-13yrs of age are discouraged. Relationships between
campers of 13-17yrs of age should not be of an inappropriate nature (i.e. no casual coupling; multiple
relationships; inappropriate touching; etc).
Any dangerous, potentially dangerous, banned or inappropriate items will be confiscated and either disposed
of or returned to the camper upon departure on the final day of the Camp.
Mobiles may be brought to Camp but should not be used in worships, to play music out loud or to watch
videos. Inappropriate use of mobiles will lead to the mobile being confiscated until the end of the Camp.
3 Strike Policy: For serious misbehaviour each camper will receive 2 warnings. The 1st warning will be a verbal
warning given to the camper. The 2nd warning will be a verbal warning given to the camper along with a
phone call to the parent. If the serious misbehaviour happens a 3rd time the camper will be dismissed from
the Camp. (The exceptions to this are drug/substance abuse, alcohol and smoking which may result in
immediate dismissal from the Camp.)
Naming of Items
From past experience there are always a mountain of clothes left over after the Summer
Camp! Many end up being thrown out because they are unidentifiable! Please make sure
that your name is either written onto the tag or sewn onto your clothing somewhere so that
if it is lost then when it is found it can be easily identified. Any unidentified clothing left over
at the end of Camp will be disposed of immediately so please take care of your clothes. Any
identified clothing left behind will be kept for a period of up to 3 months and the owner will
need to arrange for collection! It will be returned in the condition found as we will not have
the time to launder the item(s).
The same goes for everything you bring. Please make sure that you can identify your own
cutlery and plate, bowl etc, preferably by putting your name on them somehow. Parents
should make sure that when they pick their children up from Camp that they have all their
belongings with them as all unidentified clothing left at the site at the end of the camp will
be disposed of. Any identified clothing left behind will be bagged and parents responsible
for collecting it from Banbridge or Belfast on appointment.
Pocket Money
Everything necessary is provided and included in the cost of the Camp. However, there will
be opportunities where small gifts and a limited amount of sweets etc can be purchased.
There will be a Camp tuck shop (prices will be similar to the shops this year); and on the
Friday we will be visiting the local town, Athlone. Also through the “Secret Friends” game
everyone will be given a secret friend and encouraged to give something to their secret
friend. This gift needs only to be small, can be made rather than bought, but we believe it
encourages a sentiment of giving and is a bit of fun.
Upon Arrival at the Site
Upon arrival at the Campsite you will need to visit the Registration Desk for the following:
1. You will be asked if you want to leave your pocket money in the Camp Bank. This
“bank” will be open daily (when necessary) and each person will have the
opportunity to withdraw money when needed. It is recommended that money be
kept in the Camp Bank as there is a high risk of the money getting lost in the tents
amongst all the “mess”!
2. You will be asked to pay any outstanding balance on your account, unless you have
opted to pay using the monthly payment scheme.
3. If you have medication with you then you will be asked to see the Camp Nurse.
Personal Information Forms
If any details have changed since you filled in the Personal Information Form, please send
any changes in to me by email. This is VERY important, especially if you / your child is taking
any prescription medication that they were not taking when you filled in the Personal
Information Form originally or has been diagnosed with a recent medical condition.
Asthma
If you have listed on your application form that you have asthma (even if you do not
currently use an inhaler) please read the full sheet entitled “Asthma Safety” that has been
included with this letter. These recommendations come from Asthma UK and are currently
best practise in both the North and South of Ireland, so we ask that you comply fully with
the guidelines. If you have any queries about this, please contact me directly and we can
clarify any questions.
Hospital
As most of you know the Health system in Ireland is not free. If any accident was to occur
and your child needed to either see a doctor or go to hospital it would be the parents/legal
guardian’s responsibility to cover the cost of medical care. We will always try our very best
to consult the person listed as the emergency contact person on the application form prior
to seeing a doctor. By sending you child to Camp you acknowledge the above situation and
commit yourself to any costs incurred.
For those from Northern Ireland: please send your medical card with your child. This should
mean that if your child does need medical care then the cost will be covered by the NHS.
Car seats & Minibuses
Child safety protection laws in Ireland make it compulsory for all children (aged 3 and
above) who are under 150cm in height and weigh less than 36kg (approx 11-12 years old) to
use the correct child seat or booster cushion when travelling in cars or goods vehicles. This
law does not apply to children travelling in coaches / minibuses. However, if you feel it
important that your child does use their child seat or booster seat for extra safety, please
remember to bring it with you to Camp.
Insurance
Travel insurance is not included in the camp fee. If you require travel insurance this is your
own responsibility.
Tent Inspection
Again this year we will be having tent inspection! Campers are encouraged to tidy their
tents every day or two and these tents are then inspected and awarded points  So, along
with those in your tent you’ll have a chance to win a special prize!
Camp Entertainment Night & Banquet
On the final night of Camp (Tue 19th) there will be an Entertainment Night. Each person
either on their own or in a group is encouraged to take part in the evening’s entertainment
by doing something – singing, taking part in a play, telling jokes etc – something that will be
a smile to people’s faces. All of the staff will also be joining in as well. It’s a great
opportunity to view each other’s talents and “not so talents”, sometimes (like in my case)!
Please be encouraged to think of something to do prior to coming to Camp – or even speak
to some of your friends who are going and get something sorted out before you come.
Website Updates
Hopefully you know the address of the youth website by now – www.imyd.ie! Updates will
be posted regularly. Please use the website as your main source of current information.
Looking forward to seeing you at Summer Camp.
Yours Sincerely,
Adam Keough
(Camp Co-ordinator & Youth Sponsor for Irish Mission of the Seventh-day Adventist Church)
Asthma Safety Note
If you have told us on the application form that your son / daughter has asthma, they will
not be able to take part in certain activities unless they have their inhalers which the doctor
has prescribed.
This is the policy, which the Asthma Society recommends for the young person’s safety.
The inhalers normally include both the preventer (usually brown) and a reliever (usually
blue). It is not enough to bring only the preventer. On activities it will be the reliever, which
will be used in an emergency.
It saves lives, stress and embarrassment to the young person if leaders can insist that
parents supply the inhalers.
The Camp Nurse will need to hold a spare inhaler for each young person with asthma. These
spare inhalers will be collected at registration. Please also remember to send as many
inhalers as necessary with your child to cover the full period of 9 days.
Unfortunately if the young person turns up without their spare inhalers (even if they have
their own inhalers) then they will not be allowed to stay until they have returned with all
the necessary inhalers. Please help us avoid this difficult and embarrassing situation by
bringing them in the first place.
Please remember that for 9 days we will be living outside, surrounded by grass, trees and
pollen. Our desire is to make sure that your child enjoys themselves as much as possible
while at the same time staying safe.
Thank you for your co-operation and if you have any questions about this you can contact
the Camp Nurse by phone: +44 (0)7889 920990.