Gift Aid

Did you know there’s a way we can claim back an extra 28p for every single £1 that you give us?

No it’s not too good to be true that’s just how the Gift Aid Scheme works!

If you are paying Income Tax/or Capital Gains Tax and are planning on supporting Camp&Trek then – simply by filling out the form and marking the Gift Aid declaration - we can claim the extra cash back from the Inland Revenue.

Although the basic tax rate changed in April 2008 from 22 per cent to 20 per cent, meaning we can only claim a tax repayment of 25p for every £1 donated, rather than the previous 28p per £1, there is a Transitional Relief period for charities. This means that for every £1 donated, we can claim an extra 25p with Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs automatically adding a further three pence for every pound donated, bringing the amount claimed back up to 28p. This will last until April 2011.

In addition, if a donor is a higher rate taxpayer, they too can benefit from tax relief as they can claim back the difference between the higher rate of tax at 40 per cent and the basic rate of tax at 20 per cent on the full value of the donation – a total of 20 per cent. So if £1 was donated, the gross donation would be £1.25, so the donor could claim 25 pence back.

Last year the money we were able to claim back allowed young people to join us who might not otherwise have been able to do so.

In fact if you spare a few minutes filling out the form just once then we can continue to claim Gift Aid as long as you make a donation to Camp&Trek. The only time you would need to notify us is if you no longer pay an amount of Income Tax or Capital Gains Tax equal to the tax we reclaim – i.e. 25p for every £1 you give.

So if you want to support us then why not just click on the link below and help us to help young people make the most of their lives.

Donation Form

New Patron joins us

We are absolutely thrilled to announce that we now have a new Patron after world renowned architect Mike Davies CBE agreed to take up the role.

Awarded a CBE in 2000 for services to architecture Mike has been a regular supporter of Camp&Trek over the years and we are delighted that he has now agreed to formally allow his name and reputation to be linked with us.

Mike who has worked with Rogers Stirk Harbour and Partners, (RSHP) formerly Richard Rogers Partnerships, for more than 35 years and has been involved with virtually all the projects carried out by the practice.

He worked for six years in Paris for the Pompidou Centre and was project architect for the adjacent Institute for Research & Co-ordination in Acoustics and Music. On returning to the UK he worked on the Lloyd’s of London project, Inmos, the Government microprocessor industry flagship as well as Europier/Terminal 1 and Terminal 5 projects at London’s Heathrow Airport.

Mike has also been director in charge of the master plan for the Wood Wharf development in London and also the re-development of Bracknell town centre. He is currently the project director for the master plan for Greater Paris 2020, a direct commission from the French President, examining the growing needs of urban Paris and how these fit the 21st Century. Previous work includes strategic guidance on the Jacob Javits Convention Centre in New York and Tower 3 at the World Trade Centre in New York.

His particular roles within RSHP include responsibility for urban design, technology, scientific research and development. He was Project Director for the strategic master plan of the Royal Docks in London and for master plans of the City of Dunkirk, for Leamouth and the Greenwich Peninsula in London.

Mike was also the project director of the Millennium Dome and Riverside South at Canary Wharf and was the project director for the Terminal 5 master plan and the new terminal buildings at Heathrow Airport. He also led the master planning team for the Lower Manhattan East River project for the City of New York.

Chair of Camp&Trek’s Trustees, Nick Lowton, said: “We are absolutely delighted that Mike has agreed to become a Patron for the charity. We are only a small organisation and operating, as we do, in a geographically isolated area his reputation and standing in the worlds of architecture and business can only help raise our own profile.”

John Muir Award

We like to think that time spent with Camp&Trek isn’t just about the now, but also the future.

That is why we have teamed up with the John Muir Trust to run - alongside our course activities - its Award Scheme.

The John Muir Trust is a leading UK charity dedicated to the protection of wild land for both nature and people. Scottish-born John Muir inspired its name and ethos, as the first person to call for action to be taken to protect wild land, and was an instrumental figure in the modern conservation movement.

The Trust was founded in 1983 to safeguard the future of wild lands against development and to promote awareness and recognition of the value of such places.

Through the Awards we have attempted to encourage the hundreds of young people who have attended our courses, no matter what their background or previous interests, to discover a wild place, explore it, do their bit to conserve it and share the experience with others.

As a result our young people have been involved with a range of projects from tree planting to beach clean ups while with us.

However, the Award doesn't stop there. For once they have left us and returned home the young people can continue to be part of the scheme and work on initiatives and projects in their own area.

At the heart of each John Muir Award experience there are four key experiences. They are:

Discover a wild place – from mountain top to city park, from river source to sea shore.

Explore its wildness – travel, camp, study and record. Experience and appreciate your wild place.

Conserve - take personal responsibility for the conservation and care of wild places

Share your experiences – tell people your own stories, thoughts and feelings.

As John Muir himself said: “Do something for wildness and make the mountains glad.”

For more information about the John Muir Award you can visit their website at www.johnmuiraward.org

To rise from the ashes

After months of debate a decision has finally been made that Raasay House – the setting for so many of our successful courses – will rise from the ashes.

It was early in 2009 that the Grade A Listed mansion on the tiny island off the coast of Skye was completely gutted, just days away from the completion of a £4.5 million upgrade.

Despite the blaze though we continued to work with Raasay Outdoor Centre staff and still managed to put on three week long courses making use of the island’s hotel and youth hostel for accommodation purposes.

Following the decision to re-build, using the remaining outside facade, contractors are to carry out stabilising work on the historic house in preparation for the main work to begin.

Camp&Trek Trustee, Jryna Batters, said: “I think everyone is thrilled to know that Raasay House is not going to be left a ruin and that the young people who attend our courses will once again be able to make use of it.”

did you know?

That we take young people aged between 12 and 25 years old and for many of them their time with Camp&Trek is not just their first adventure holiday, but their very first holiday at all.