Supporting families through funded places
Our Commitment
Each year we provide hundreds of Supporting Families places on our camps. We receive applications from the families themselves, support workers, schools, pastoral care, charities and many other support services.
The cost of a camp place is subsidised between 25% and 90%, based on individual circumstances. In exceptional circumstances, we are able to offer fully subsidised places. We offer a maximum of 3 weeks in total per year (at half-terms, Easter and Summer holidays).
The subsidy level is awarded by our Supporting Families panel, which is led by our membership team and made up of employees from all different backgrounds and roles at our Head Office.
Apply for a Supporting Families place
All applications must be received 3 weeks prior to the start of the season you’re applying for (please note for the summer season it is 4 weeks prior). This allows us time to assess the application and notify families if they’re application is successful.
We ask that you add all the seasons and dates that you are wanting to avoid having to re-apply through a new application. We can only offer a total of 1 week per season (2 weeks in summer) and a maximum of 3 weeks total per year.
Seasonal application deadlines
February – 29th January 2024
Easter – 4th March 2024
Spring Bank – 6th May 2024
Summer (Scotland) – 3rd June 2024
Summer (England & Wales) – 8th July 2024
October – 23rd September 2024
How your money makes a difference
Since 1991, we’ve provided assisted places to more than 10,000 children and families in a range of difficult circumstances.
We establish partnerships with local schools, hospices, palliative care units, social workers and community support workers to ensure that our Supporting Families places are awarded to families and children who are in real need.
“It’s been a life saver for us as a family”
It’s hard enough to cover the 13 weeks of holiday children receive throughout the school year, but especially as a single parent family with no relatives in the UK. Hear how Kings Camps and the Supporting Families programme has supported the family, since first attending in 2021.
“I’m a single parent and I have to work most holidays so to know that my son can be somewhere he is happy, have such a great time and that fits around my working hours, is absolutely priceless. He has made a few friends that he talks with outside of camp so that’s lovely too. Thank you for having him, we are very lucky, you guys are doing such a great job! I think that he will be attending camp until he is too old for it.”
Mum first applied for a Supporting Families place, due to having stage 3 breast cancer and undergoing a mastectomy, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. A really difficult time for the family as mum was very, very ill with some very scary times.
“This has affected our lives very deeply, financially I am still trying to get back on my feet, physically I still suffer from post cancer treatment, I’m still extremely tired all the time, emotionally I had to have counselling. My son suffers from really bad anxiety, although he will get therapy, having a place at Kings Camps during the school holidays means that he can have some fun, do something that he loves and be somewhere he can be happy and forget this trauma whilst he is at Kings Camps, it has and will help us tremendously.” The family attended our camp in Sheffield.
We’ve provided support to the family through the Supporting Families programme, helping to lessen the burden of the school holidays by providing financial support for the cost of camp places. We’re delighted that both mum and son are doing well and Kings Camps have played a part in providing a fun and active experience whilst allowing mum to work with peace of mind.
Book online or call 0114 2632160
Our safeguarding promise
Kings Active Foundation is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. Safer recruitment is central to the way we work and all staff and volunteers are expected to share our commitment to safeguarding, always creating an environment where young people feel safe and can thrive. Read more