10 Families in UK Invited to Try for Free, Daylong ‘Camp in the Cloud’
Ten U.K. families who are members of the Haemophilia Society have the chance to enjoy a free, virtual Camp in the Cloud experience offered by Over The Wall, a nonprofit specializing in activity camps for children living with serious disorders.
The places, each worth £150 (about $206), are available on a first-come, first-serve basis for the Oct. 2 and Nov. 13 daylong camps that feature activities, games, and challenges, according to the society’s announcement. Applications can be found on the websites for each of those camp days.
To qualify, families must have a child, age 17 or younger, with a bleeding disorder such as hemophilia. Another child in the household must be between 8 and 17 years old. Only families whose members live in the same household are eligible.
“The illness of a child can often mean that spending time together as a family can be difficult,” Over The Wall stated on its camp date webpages. “Your free virtual Camp in the Cloud has been developed to provide families with an opportunity to enjoy quality time together whilst taking part in a fun program of activities and challenges.”
Over The Wall supports children who have serious illnesses, and their families, by providing free activity camps to help patients overcome their limitations and “discover a world of mischief, magic, and new possibilities.” The nonprofit is part of the SeriousFun Children’s Network established by the late actor and philanthropist Paul Newman.
With its online Family Camp in the Cloud — Over The Wall also offers other virtual camps, including one for patients’ siblings — participants can enjoy a range of experiences from home. With access to the camp’s customized online platform, “campers” engage in a combination of virtual and real-life experiences, including opportunities to interact in real-time through secure message boards and video calls with fellow participants.
While some undertakings will be “live,” others may be explored at participants’ own pace. In addition to games and challenges, activities include arts and crafts, the practices of mindfulness and well-being, and problem solving.
Camp participants will receive through the mail everything needed for camp in Over The Wall’s “Seriously Fun Box.” Devices with pre-loaded data will also be available for households without internet access. Ideally, participants will be able to connect to the internet with computers or other devices that include a camera and Zoom capabilities.
Camp in the Cloud is supervised by Over The Wall staff, and platform access is protected. Camper message boards will be monitored and staff will be present for virtual “Cabin chats.”
For questions or more information, send an email to [email protected].
The Haemophilia Society works on behalf of patients with bleeding disorders and their families. It provides information and resources, and advocates for effective and accessible treatment for all.
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