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Allergy 250K school-aged teens Sydney camp

Allergy 250K Sydney camp17 April 2024: 

Our recent camp held in March in Sydney was our biggest camp so far, with 36 school-aged teens attending along with 10 Allergy 250K peer mentors. We managed 66 different food allergies over the weekend with a limited onsite kitchen and working with an external caterer.
 
Our peer mentors joined us a day earlier to connect with each other and help set up for the two-day camp. They enjoyed the challenge of raft building on the Friday afternoon before the younger campers joined on Saturday morning.
 
The Allergy 250K camps include adventure activities which help the campers connect with each other quickly and enjoy activities that they might otherwise not have a chance to do. As the campsite was located so close to the beach on Sydney Harbour, they were able to participate in both snorkelling and kayaking over the two days along with some team challenges.
 
On the Saturday afternoon, we ran education sessions for the campers, with allergy dietitians, allergy nurses, an allergy specialist and a psychologist. These sessions are an important part of the camp as we can provide valuable allergy education and it gives our campers a chance to ask questions and share their experiences.
 
So, what did the campers tell us about their time on camp?

  • “The food and activities were great! I had a lot of fun.”
  • “I felt at home here, the food that was specially made was great! During this camp, I finally felt that I belonged with everyone.”
  • “The activities were great and learning about allergies is helpful.”
  • “All of the activities brought us closer together.”
  • “The inclusivity of food and great people made it very enjoyable, and the activities were very unique.”
  • “I really enjoyed the food and the activities because for once I could eat the food on a camp.”

This year, our volunteer allergy specialist and psychologist ran an informal discussion session specifically for the parents of the campers on the Sunday afternoon. This was really well received, and we plan to continue to offer this at future camps.
 
We would like to thank the health professional volunteers who gave up their weekend to help us run a successful camp. We are also very thankful to have such a wonderful group of peer mentors – they are a critical part of our camps and we could not run a successful camp without them.
 
Thank you also to Lands Edge Foundation – what a glorious campsite! Last but not least, thank you to Avocado Catering, who really understood our catering needs.

View the photo gallery from our Sydney camp.