A summer camp for young people with Down's syndrome in Ballyholland, near Newry, is marking a decade of bringing families together this year, offering activities ranging from football to fire engine tours. Sixty-seven families from counties Down and Armagh are attending the event, run by charity Down Right Brilliant and split into two weeks, one for primary school children and one for post-primary pupils.
Yvonne Curran, from the group, explained that although the wider organisation has existed for almost three decades, the youth club and summer camp element is now celebrating its tenth anniversary.
The group itself is running almost 30 years but this is the 10th year of our youth club and summer camp.
The camp relies on a combination of public funding, private donations and sponsorship to operate, alongside a strong team of volunteers. Attendees at Ballyholland Community Centre have been able to explore a fire engine parked outside, complete with hose demonstrations, while indoors a hall has been transformed into a sports arena featuring a race track. Outside, children have been testing their football skills against nets, with organisers noting the enthusiasm of budding players inspired by stars such as Haaland, Messi and Mbappe.
Participants in the club span a wide spectrum of abilities, from members who are non-verbal or face significant mobility challenges to those with greater independence. Curran said the club was created specifically to give older members a social outlet once their peers began attending discos or cinema trips without adult supervision.
The club was established because all of our members had nowhere to go when their friends started to go to discos or the cinema independently – so we wanted somewhere for that 13 years+ group to have somewhere to go, somewhere to call their own.
Has volunteering recovered since the pandemic?
Volunteering rates in Northern Ireland fell sharply during the pandemic, dropping from 28% to 17%, according to Volunteer Now, and by 2023 the sector was still reporting a slow recovery. However, recent events suggest momentum may be returning: last week more than 1,300 people signed up to volunteer at the All-Ireland Fleadh in Belfast, a figure Denise Hayward of Volunteer Now said reflects a broader upward trend.
We saw a drop off in volunteering during Covid and that took some time to recover but many organisations are saying that things have improved greatly.
Being as flexible as possible in terms of the amount of time people can give is important but there has definitely been an improvement.
That pattern is visible at Ballyholland too. Emer Reilly, the youth club leader for Down Right Brilliant, said the charity has not struggled to attract volunteers, even as other organisations report difficulties.
We've never had a problem, thankfully, the number of our volunteers speaks volumes, but we have heard other groups and charities say they've had problems.
We have 20 solid ones and then others who come when they can. A lot of them are going in to teaching or even medicine but others are looking to be accountants or doing admin jobs but they are happy to come and be with our children because they get so much out of it.
If you come in on a Friday in the worst mood in the world after 10 minutes with our children it's gone.
What does the camp mean to its members?
For many children attending, the camp's value lies less in the activities themselves and more in the bonds formed with other participants. Kate, one of the attendees, said friendship is central to why she enjoys coming.
It's about meeting good people and making good friends.
I like scoring goals. You keep playing, I make good friends and we play games. I have made great friends.
Among the close friendships formed at the camp are Peter and Aren, who share a passion for colouring activities and superheroes, though their tastes differ slightly: Peter favours Spiderman while Aren prefers Iron Man. Jack, another regular at the club, is a fan of the television series Cobra Kai as well as several sports.
I play basketball and soccer and hockey here. I like my friends and having fun. I like talking, playing and having chats.
Leah, who has a fondness for animals, said the club's petting zoo outings are among her favourite parts of the experience.
I do basketball and swimming and horse-riding. It's lovely.
Peter, who briefly took charge of testing a microphone with an enthusiastic sound check, said he is particularly looking forward to a bouncy castle due to arrive at the camp later in the week. Beyond the daily activities, the programme also includes day trips, a visiting pizza truck, a petting farm, and sessions of singing and dancing, all of which require funding to deliver.
How is the camp being funded?
Securing enough money to run a programme of this scale has become an increasing challenge for youth organisations, an issue highlighted recently when the Ógras Youth Centre in Coalisland warned that its own summer scheme for roughly 450 children was at risk after a delay in agreeing a Stormont budget left it facing around £20,000 in uncovered costs. Curran said Down Right Brilliant has so far avoided similar difficulties thanks to broad support from its local community.
We've had brilliant support in the local community – from businesses, sporting organisations, we've been the Mayor's Chosen Charity and we've also been successful with some grants we've applied for.
But we are fulfilling a need. Things our children just wouldn't get otherwise. We've also had sponsorship from two banks and all of that helps our children get opportunities.
While the camp itself runs for just a week, organisers and families alike say the connections made during that time often endure well beyond the summer.
Key Facts
- Down Right Brilliant's summer camp in Ballyholland is marking its tenth year, though the wider charity has operated for nearly 30 years.
- 67 families from counties Down and Armagh are taking part, split across two weeks for primary and post-primary children.
- Northern Ireland's volunteering rate fell from 28% to 17% during the pandemic, but Volunteer Now reports signs of recovery, citing over 1,300 volunteers at the recent All-Ireland Fleadh in Belfast.
- The camp is funded through a mix of community donations, sporting organisations, grants and bank sponsorship.
- Activities include football, day trips, a petting farm, a pizza truck and singing and dancing sessions.
