Charity: Camp Mohawk

Camp Mohawk is a specially equipped, accessible multi-activity day centre in Wargrave. We currently support over 1000 individual children from across the south east each year.

Our outdoor spaces include a wild meadow, wildlife pond, nature information panels, areas of lawn with picnic facilities, a sensory garden including outdoor instruments, mirrors, and play panels, and an amphitheatre-style seating area used for campfires, group music sessions and storytelling.

Our heated outdoor pool is our most heavily used facility on the site. During the spring and summer months, most families choose to spend time in the pool: for some, it might be their only opportunity to swim.

We provide a variety of fully accessible equipment from swings to roundabouts to trampolines. Our adventure playgrounds and a covered games area, including a pool table and table tennis, provide facilities for sports and active play.

Indoors we have a multi-purpose hall, soft play area, light and dark sensory rooms, a new interactive music room, comfortable play lounge, plus an art and crafts room, offering young people plenty of opportunities for fun and learning, no matter what the weather brings.

The main aims are to help reduce isolation and exclusion, build confidence and improve the quality of life for young people with special needs, their siblings and parents. Visits may last an hour or a day but the benefits last a lifetime.

We work by encouraging social interaction, offering accessible adventures, providing space to relax and helping to build social skills – all in a positive, inclusive, supportive environment.

The need for our services is huge. The overall percentage of children with special educational needs in England has risen in the last year from 14.1% to 15.5%. Caring for a child with special needs can place enormous pressures on a family. For many, we are the only fully accessible and affordable day centre to which they can bring their child – and the most understanding. For others, the chance to visit and relax as a family, where the needs of the child, their siblings and parents can be met in full, is often described as a lifeline.

We had the most amazing time as a family at Camp Mohawk today. Each and every time we visit we feel like the impossible is made possible, and we leave with our faces hurting from smiling to see L so happy – and us too!

We had such a lovely afternoon today. It’s unique in having something for each child and, as always, that something for G was enjoying music. We had a few tough moments during our visit today and this often makes getting out of the home challenging. But the support of the amazing staff during these times, and the kindness and attention they give him, make all the difference.

The school holidays are some of our busiest times and often the most challenging for our families. It is vital that we are able to offer the right environment for their children to play and explore, where they feel safe, included and accepted. Many parents describe Camp Mohawk as a special place that allows the whole family to breathe.

Fundraising is hugely important to our ongoing work here at Camp Mohawk. Although we receive some grant funding from charitable trusts, we rely heavily on the support of our corporate supporters and local communities to help us reach our fundraising targets each year.

There are lots of ways you can support Camp Mohawk:

● Sign up to an organised challenge event.

● Ask your employer to make Camp Mohawk their charity of the year.

● Simply scan the QR code below to make a donation.

● Volunteer at the site or at local events.

Camp Mohawk always welcomes new volunteers. Helping hands are always needed for site maintenance and gardening, or you could support our presence at a range of local events.

For more information about the charity's work, please visit our website. You can also follow Camp Mohawk on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to keep up with all our news.

Samantha Rosier, Fundraising Manager

www.campmohawk.org.uk

0118 940 4045 | samantha.rosier@campmohawk.org.uk

Camp Mohawk, Highfield Lane, Crazies Hill, Wargrave, Berkshire RG10 8PU

Follow Camp Mohawk on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.