Our Holidays
Summer Holiday
For over 35 years, Oundle Mencap Holidays has provided a week-long residential summer holiday for children and young people with learning disabilities aged 8-18.
Each year, we organise on site activities ranging from art and crafts to music to team games and group theatre alongside a number of visits to the seaside, theme parks and other fun days out.
The core purpose of the week is to provide a host of fun, safe and stimulating learning experiences for our holiday makers.
We think that the holiday has a profound effect on those who take part – not just on our holiday makers but also on their families, who are given a valuable break from direct care, and also on our volunteers, whose understanding of and attitude towards disability is often fundamentally changed.
Accommodation & Staff
We use on site, fully catered accommodation in Oundle, with one-on-one care provided for each child throughout the week.
The holiday is entirely staffed by volunteers, numbering roughly 75 each year. Junior volunteers are paired with our holiday makers, sharing a room every night with the same person or people.
We have an extremely experienced team of senior volunteers, many of whom have been involved with the holiday for ten years or longer. Their professional skills are key to our holiday.
Costs
The charge per child for the Oundle Mencap Holiday in 2022 is £295, for the full week.
We keep the costs of the holiday low, owing to the fact that all our helpers are volunteers. The holiday is also heavily subsidised by charitable donations, volunteer fundraising and grants which cover roughly two thirds of our annual running costs. You can find more information on supporting us or fundraising on our behalf on the SUPPORT US page.
Mencap Outdoors
Mencap Outdoors is a camping weekend for young adults with learning disabilities aged 18 and over. We run two long weekends over the summer where roughly 20 young people and 20 volunteers spend a few nights under canvas and enjoy the great outdoors!
Accommodation & Staff
Mencap Outdoors makes camp in Wadenhoe, a small village just outside Oundle. Campers share tents and help with all of the day to day jobs around the site, including collecting firewood and preparing meals.
Daytime activities include canoeing, climbing and trips to the swimming pool, as well as learning skills like bush craft and archery.
Our volunteer staff have experience in running a campsite as well as in supporting young people.
Costs
The costs for Mencap Outdoors are roughly £300 per camper. Tents, food, drink, minibus transport and entrance fees for the weekend are all provided. Campers should bring their own sleeping bags, clothes, washbags and waterproofs!