Summer schools 2026: Faith and fun!

Camp Director David Gibb

With the beautiful setting of the University of Stirling campus as a backdrop, students and staff for summer camp started to assemble, including 27 new students who had never experienced summer camp before. The buzz around the venue was incredible and there was an air of excitement as friendships were renewed and new ones began.

Taking the concept of The Traitors and turning it on its head, The Faithful was the theme for the week. In cell groups each day we explored many characters in the Bible who remained faithful, especially in difficult circumstances. This gave students the opportunity to relate these stories to their own lives and study God’s faithfulness to all.

During exhilarating worship sessions – when all praise was offered up to God – the ‘round table’ interviews with staff were a highlight and allowed testimonies of their experiences to be shared. There was also a session for discovering spiritual gifts and discussing how we could use them in our everyday.

Main options allowed students to be creative through brass, singing, dance, drama, sport and the creation of multimedia to enhance worship, with all levels of ability coming together and improving throughout the week. A series of electives allowed creativity in art and crafts, contemporary worship, sport, points of view, Granny Club, board games and a new initiative – band learners.

Other activities included a ceilidh, a glitterball silent disco, an evening prepared by the Transformers group, a day out to an adventure park, a session exploring the effects of social media, the legendary staff versus students football match and much, much more.

Our week culminated in a showcase, where friends and family were invited to come and experience some of what had been happening. The worship encapsulated many God-inspiring moments that will live on in our memories, including the final camp song ‘Washed’ – ‘I’ve been washed in the water, washed in the blood, all because of you. Oh, Hallelujah.’

Heidi 
Southampton Shirley

This year, I was blessed to spend a week of my summer at Encounter! This is my fifth year attending, however I found this week to be significantly more necessary for me in comparison to some of my previous years. I found that not only did the activities and worship within the week help me grow in my physical confidence, but they also helped me grow in my spiritual confidence in knowing and sharing the love of Christ. Outside of camp I was very nervous as I was about to experience one of the biggest changes in my life: moving away from all my family and friends to pursue my studies in London. Having the opportunity to shift my focus from my worries and stress to instead focus on fellowship, music and worship could not have come at a better time for me.

I am writing this from London, and my testimony is that, even in the face of change and new challenges, the love of God will always pull you through and he will always provide! This was a very profound message woven into the theme every day, with the sermons speaking on how Jesus is the Bread of Life and the Light of the World. The best part of the week for me was easily the music, not only in morning and evening worship but also being able to play it within the worship stream in creative arts. One of my favourite songs we played was ‘Promises’, and I want to leave you with my favourite line: ‘I put my faith in Jesus, my anchor to the ground, my hope and firm foundation. He’ll never let me down.’

Phoebe 

The 2026 EYSS theme was Encounter and we encountered Jesus in many ways. I chose the options of stepping out and dance. In stepping out, we researched how period poverty affects women and girls internationally and in the UK, and what we would be able to do in our division to help. We also went out to a community church to speak about the goodness of God. Through dance, we looked at how we can use our God-given talents to worship him in different ways.

One thing that stuck out to me was Ollie Goldsmith talking about the faith the women had when they went to Jesus’ tomb.

My favourite time of day was worship. The song of the week was ‘Because of Jesus’, which reminded me that people can encounter God in your life through many different ways.

Ella 

This was my fifth EYSS and what a week it was! We spoke about how we can encounter God in our everyday lives, not just at summer schools. I took part in the vocal option, where we sang the song ‘Dependable God’ – without a faithful, dependable God, I don’t know where I would be in my life.

In worship, Ollie spoke about the road to Emmaus, which taught me to always be ready to encounter God. At the end of cell groups, we reflected on our own encounters and our journeys with God.

At the end of each day, we finished with whole-school evening activities from Traitors and talent night to Nerf and nugs. It was such a good week and, even though it is the end of EYSS, our encounters don’t end there and God stays on the journeys with us.

Divisional Youth Specialist Nathan Bright

East of England Youth Camp took place at Hadleigh Farm overlooking the Thames Estuary. It provided the perfect setting for young people to come together and enjoy a few days in bell tents. The young people in attendance were a mix of those familiar with The Salvation Army and those connected in other ways, such as Starfish mentoring, youth clubs, food banks and various outreach activities.

Everything you can think of when camping took place: team challenges, tabletop games, dancing, singing, crafts, hot chocolate, kayaking, mountain biking and time around a specially crafted (non-flaming!) campfire.

In this increasingly polarised world, we based our camp on the theme Common Ground. Through this we aimed to give the young people tools to navigate difference, cross divides, practise forgiveness and understand that we all belong together. One beautiful way in which we did this was getting alongside, witnessing and learning from the trainees at Hadleigh Training Centre as they grow in confidence, skills and social awareness. As our young people gardened and upcycled next to the trainees, we discovered that difference need not divide us and we could recognise that there is so much we can learn from one another when we make space to meet on common ground.

We also held a Banquet of Belonging on our last night together, whereby we all shared one table and ate pizza and McDonald’s together before celebrating through silent disco, Just Dance and karaoke! Captain Claire Whybrow (Hadleigh Hub) expertly made the invitation and practice of Jesus accessible to all, whether they professed a faith or not. Daily habits of being curious, being present and reimagining set the foundations for and made space for questions, simply being and having a vision for what it might look like to build a more connected community.

Erin  
Belfast Sydenham

Summer school welcomed more than 40 young people from across the division. The theme was Press Start: Find Your Purpose, focusing on Ephesians 2:10. We explored what it means to press start on a relationship with God and discover the purpose he has for each of us. We reflected on how Catherine and William Booth found their God-given calling when they founded The Salvation Army in 1865. We also learnt about the history and traditions of The Salvation Army and even held our own open-air meeting, with many students marching with the Army for the very first time.

We had six activity streams to choose from: band, choir, worship group, art, media and sports. We also had three additional electives: musical theatre, timbrels and African drumming.

Each of these provided an opportunity for young people to use their gifts and abilities to worship and praise God, reminding us that we can honour him through the talents he has given us and that everyone has a part to play in God’s Kingdom.

There was no shortage of fun. Healthy competition was encouraged through quiz nights, team sports and life-sized arcade games, while the divisional favourite, laser tag, once again proved to be one of the highlights. We were also blessed with beautiful sunshine, making it the perfect opportunity to enjoy water fights, a giant slip-and-slide, campfires and s’mores.

Summer school was a week filled with worship, friendship, laughter and learning, reminding us that God wants a relationship with each of us – and all we need to do is be willing to Press Start.

Divisional Children’s Worker Eden Istacky

This year’s junior camp brought together 21 children for faith, friendship and adventure. Through Bible teaching, group discussions and times of reflection, the children explored what it means to build their lives on Jesus, our firm foundation.

The children enjoyed a packed programme, with favourites including the water slip-and-slide, laser tag, a prayer room and evenings around the campfire.

Our dedicated team of leaders offered encouragement, mentorship and Christ-centred role models, creating a safe and supportive environment where children could flourish both personally and spiritually.

One of the greatest joys was witnessing the growth in the children themselves. Last year, a boy connected to a Lifehouse nearly had to be sent home because of challenging behaviour. This year, he returned with two of his siblings and was almost unrecognisable in his attitude and actions. He spoke openly about learning to manage his anger and making a conscious effort to be kind to everyone. It was a powerful reminder of the positive difference that ongoing support, discipleship and encouragement can make.

We were privileged to witness many examples of kindness and maturity that reflected the culture of inclusivity children teach us. We also observed children showing remarkable emotional intelligence, recognising when peers had acted out of frustration or hurt and responding with understanding rather than criticism.

We pray the lessons learnt and experiences shared will continue to shape these young people long after the campfire has gone out.

Divisional Youth Specialist Anita Gellatly

The heart of Summer School 26 was simple: you are fully seen, completely known, and deeply loved by God.

It was a blessed week of being together with 140 young people, sharing food, sung worship, games and daily chosen streams to engage their gifts and skills and equip them to share these with others. Throughout the week we looked at Psalm 139:1 – ‘You have searched me, Lord, and you know me’ – and stories through Scripture such as Hagar, Nathanael, Jeremiah, Moses, the Samaritan woman, the prodigal son and what Jesus did for us all through the cross.

God sees us and knows everything about us, and we can find freedom in being known. We are so loved by God – he chose and loves us, and we are called to love others.

Each day, cell groups dived deeper into the daily theme and Scripture with crafts, games, discussion, reflection, prayer and action. The daily question posed in cell groups was: What do these stories show us about God, people and what God wants us to remember?

Relationships with God began and were deepened, struggles were shared and prayers made to the God who sees, knows and loves us. We pray that, as everyone continues their journey with God, they put the love they are reassured of into action to show God’s love to others. Our hearts are full of gratitude to God and thankful for an amazing team and young people!

Kira  
Shildon

North East Summer School – where to start? What a fun and really special week! Our theme was The Way, exploring how the early Church lived it out in Acts 2. Through worship, main studies – choir, brass, drama and multimedia – second studies – art, dance, worship band and sport – and Bible studies, we were challenged to live out the togetherness and devotion we see in the early Church.

We were encouraged by the promise that God will add to our number those who are being saved. It was incredible to see glimpses of God at work in us throughout the week.

There were so many beautiful moments of worship as a school, alongside an incredible openness to conversations about personal journeys of faith. The Spirit moved this week. One of our favourite moments was the cross laid out, formed by Bibles, when students had the opportunity to choose their own Bible. This moment continued throughout the week as we saw students turning to God’s word all around the site.

We thank God for this week and for every young person who grew in their faith and took steps closer to him.

Chloe

The theme at junior camp was Rescuers. One of the activities was a trip to Moor House, where we built shelters and climbed very tall trees. We also went on a rescue mission using clues to find our camp leader. We had lots of fun doing different crafts and games and there was plenty of free time too. There was a water fight and a disco as well as a trip to Pizza Hut. I really enjoyed Junior Camp 2026. All the staff were really kind and helpful. I would love to go again.

Nazar

This summer I came to Salvation Army summer camp and it was so fun. We did lots of activities, for example climbing, building and engineering. I made lots of new friends. This was an unforgettable experience. Thank you very much!

Rosie

I really enjoyed junior camp this year. I loved the theme Rescuers and learning about all the great things the RNLI do. Our memory verse this year was ‘More and more people were being saved every day; the Lord was adding those people to the group of believers’ (Acts 2:47 International Children’s Bible). My favourite worship song was ‘Rescuer (Good News)’ from Rend Collective and I loved the actions we made up together. We took part in lots of fun crafts and activities – one of these included making a boat. One of the highlights of the week was the high ropes, which were fun but very challenging – after, we all went for pizza! Junior camp was a really fun week, I made lots of new friends and I can’t wait to go again next year!

Rachael  
Bristol Citadel

A few weeks ago, more than 50 children and 22 staff gathered for the fifth junior camp NoWeSA. We explored the theme Colourtastic and took a closer look at the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy and faithfulness.

With a visit from Shieldy, we started our day by sharing in worship before moving into our Bible study groups to further explore the day’s teaching. In the afternoon, we then took part in outdoor activities provided by the centre, where we faced our fears while exploring God’s creation. Each evening had its own fun – and sometimes messy! – programme. This included colour chaos and our campfire before coming together for prayers and toast before bed!

On our final morning, we gathered outside around the campfire circle, where we shared one last Godly Play story that reminded us about the colours of the Salvation Army flag. Finally, each child was prayed over by one of their Bible study group leaders before going home. Camp NoWeSA was a truly amazing and God-filled week, and it was brilliant to see God moving in the lives of so many young people in this place.

Anna  
Isle of Man

Our week at Rooted was a very special God-filled week, with tons of different options and activities to take part in and get to know each other and God better.

Throughout the week of the summer school, we learnt all about the different ways we can grow our faith deeper. Imagining myself as a tree – and my belief in God as the roots of that tree – has really strengthened my understanding of why I need to draw near to God.

A tree with shallow roots will starve for nutrients and be uprooted by a passing storm. But a tree, planted in rich soil, whose roots grow deep into the earth, will stand firm and flourish. Within this analogy, the good soil is clearly God, but saying ‘I’m going to live my life rooted in Jesus’ is one thing and knowing how to carry it out is another.

Throughout Rooted we explored all sorts of ways we can grow our roots deeper in Christ. We can surround ourselves with the right people, consume media that feeds our faith rather than starves it. We discussed how we might interact with the Bible, and how we can get creative in response to what we’ve read. All in all, the message was that the deeper our faith, the richer our lives. Storms will come and pass us right by; Jesus will keep us standing firm in him.

Our main Bible text for the week was Colossians 2:6 and 7. Rooted in Jesus, established in faith and deep in gratitude sums up all that happened in the most brilliant week!

Divisional Youth Worker Alun Emery 

God is in this story! Storylines was the theme of this year’s summer camp. Students and staff looked at the parables of Jesus and were given the space throughout the week to think and pray through their own journeys with God. The incredible camp leaders delivered deeply thoughtful messages that challenged us to put our faith and discipleship into real action.

Students expressed themselves through the different streams of art, worship band, chorus, multimedia, outdoors pursuits and sport, looking at the themes of the week in a practical light.

There were many highlights throughout our time together. One of the biggest was the community day in the community of Street, where Captain John and Territorial Envoy Louise Melia are corps leaders. The day involved many activities – face painting, lawn games, arts, crafts, bracelet making and more – to share in the mission of sharing God with others. The event was a great success with many within the community attending. The most significant part, however, was that students were able to participate in frontline ministry.

As the week drew to a close, the students shared their own stories and experiences from the week to an audience of parents, caregivers and corps friends in a final celebration. The summer camp was marked by close friendships, an incredible staff team, and deeper relationships with God.

Divisional Children’s Worker Charlotte Reid

More than 35 children from 12 corps came together in Dartmoor for Junior Camp 2026. Over five days, children enjoyed time away together, building friendships, taking part in activities and exploring faith.

The theme for the week was Secret Agents, with a particular focus on prayer, and the dream of what our division would look like by the power of prayer! Through Bible teaching, worship, Godly Play, small groups and practical activities, the children explored different ways of talking to and listening to God. Sessions looked at the Lord’s Prayer, the story of Samuel, intercessory prayer and the importance of making space to spend time with God. As part of the final session, children were invited to consider taking a step deeper in their faith, with 10 children responding.

Detectives, investigators, sleuths and codebreakers took part in kayaking, climbing, archery and stream scrambling, as well as team challenges, games, crafts and a silent disco.

When asked what they would change, the most common response was simply for camp to be longer! Children wrote down prayer requests for the week, one group had 23 answered prayers – praise God!

Junior camp was supported by a team of 13 leaders. We are grateful for their commitment and thankful to God for all that took place. We look forward to seeing how the children continue to grow in faith and confidence.

Joshua  
Wrexham

Summer camp was nothing short of a blessing. Every year, many of our youth get the amazing opportunity to take part in an event that is life-changing for many of us. For me, personally, I got to see God’s work in action through the flourishing and development of others, seeing acts of kindness and the whole camp coming together as a church family was so rewarding and warming.

This year especially there were many more people that joined us, all from different backgrounds, families and a whole cohort of different personalities. However, no matter the differences we had, we were all able to come together to praise God and help each other understand our God on a deeper level through the work of small groups, activities and worship.

One of my standouts was definitely the mission day, when we gathered with the litter-picking team from the community and every single one of us took part. We attempted to show the work of God through acting as good disciples and taking care of his gift of creation. It was truly rewarding on the way back from our routes to be able to see the major difference we made in the streets of Wrexham. We would never have been able to accomplish this without the amazing help from the litter-picking group or the willingness we had to work together as a church family.

It has been an honour to be able to take part in this wonderful opportunity year after year. It is difficult to find a more rewarding experience that helps to strengthen your relationship with God and feel loved by a large community of people who all want to love God and share the love of God with as many people as possible. Thank you to all the staff!

Divisional Youth Officer Captain Corinne Seabridge

Jesus was the focus of the week at summer school. Through music, drama, dance, art, media and sport, the theme More Like Jesus was explored. We looked at the way Jesus loves, forgives, restores, calls, equips and sends us. During gathered worship, Bible study, family groups and house prayers, young people discussed their own relationships with Jesus.

Other activities included a social night, World Records Night, When I Grow Up, a silent disco and Where’s Jesus?. An outdoor worship evening included time at prayer stations, finishing at the cross.

The school welcomed a number of visitors, including Ali Thornton-Dean (THQ), who led a dementia awareness workshop, and therapist Emma Scott, who explored the theme of Understanding Me, You and Us.

The week finished with celebrations, where students and staff shared their testimonies by singing ‘There’s No One Like Jesus’. One student said: ‘It is the highlight of my year and it allows me to worship and connect with God more.’ Another said: ‘It’s an amazing week and a time to understand more about your personal story with God and how to progress.

Please pray the students continue to experience the life-changing presence of Jesus in their lives.