The speech is written by Mr Brook, who sadly could not be at camp this year, and read to the children round the camp fire last week:
“This year we
celebrate 40 years of Sir Robert Hitcham’s and Whitwell Hall – the longest
running relationship with any school.
Mr Byer started this
tradition way back in 1977 – the year the Queen celebrated 25 years as the
Monarch (Silver Jubilee) and a British woman won Wimbledon. Mr Brook was only
13 years old!
Over those 40 years
the experience of being at Whitwell has not changed much. Some of you will have
had parents who came here. Indeed a few years ago there were 10 children whose
parents had been to Whitwell with Mr Byer.
Whitwell is meant to
be basic: camping, fresh air, open fires, no electricity, TV or other
electronics. And no shop! There have
been some improvements: the food is much better, the shower block did not exist
10 years ago and there is now a broader range of activities including the seal
trip and day at the beach. The t-shirts and hats were introduced by Mr Brook 9
years ago who joined us when Mr Byer ‘retired’ as a
teacher after 31 year 6 camps.
Traditions like year 6
camp are not easy to keep up. They rely completely on having staff and
volunteers that are willing to camp and work for 24 hours a day. Most schools don’t run
trips like this anymore because they can’t get the staff to do the extra work.
Why then does SRH still do this? It is because the staff involved really enjoy
it as well and because they all think it is a brilliant thing for you all to
experience.
Whitwell is special
and I hope that you have all enjoyed it as much as all the 39 other year 6
groups before you.”
