9th June 2025
Every day of every school holiday, The Black Prince Trust offers free holiday camps to young people from across the local community.
The camps are openly accessible to all children and young people, and thanks to the charity’s funders and supporters, are completely free of charge.
Sport is at the heart of it all. For every day they’re off school, each young person who joins up receives four hours of physical activity and a nutritious lunch. The activities range from core sports football to basketball, to non-traditional sports such as dodgeball, rounders alongside team building games and activities.
A team of coach mentors ensure that the kids receive high-quality coaching to improve their skills and deepen their understanding of the sports on offer.
For many families local to the area, such as the Choudhurys from South London, the camps provide an essential lifeline. As working parents, balancing childcare with work commitments and caring for disabled parents, Rima-Rouf Choudhury and her husband would approach the school holidays with dread.
“Before I found The Black Prince Trust,” says Rima, “the holidays were a nightmare. With me and my husband working and looking after elderly parents who are disabled, there was not very much we could do with our children because we were so busy.”
They did not want their children, Zara, Ziyad and Hamza, sitting at home all day stuck on their devices. And yet, with a demanding schedule and limited resources, finding safe and engaging activities for their children felt impossible.
Being able to access the camps has revitalised the family unit. “For the children, and for us as parents, it’s a community, a support system, and a real source of joy,” says Rima. “For families who often feel left out of opportunities like this, The Black Prince Trust is a blessing.”
Last year The Black Prince Trust provided 48 days of free holiday camps, engaging 227 participants across 2,306 attendances. Rima, whose children have not missed a single session since joining up last summer, recognises what is at stake for the future. “It is absolutely vital that a space like this gets the funding to carry on their community engagement programme,” she says.
Black Prince Trust CEO Richard Joyce recognised the importance of this offer to our community: “Holiday programmes have become such a vital part of our offer for the local community thanks to the valuable support from Lambeth’s Holiday Activities and Food Programme (HAF) and Corporate Supporter CLS Holdings. We know how much of a difference our free provision makes, especially for families struggling with the cost-of-living crisis who are without access to Free School Meals in the holidays. Seeing so many children being active in the holidays, having fun and getting a healthy nutritious meal is wonderful, and we know many more families like the Choudhury’s for whom our offer is hugely valued.”
Ultimately, the camps have contributed to a more zestful and happy family environment. “They come home buzzing with energy, full of stories, friendships, and new skills. They’ve grown stronger, more confident, and more open to others.”
Furthermore, the chance for the Choudhurys to mix with other young people across a range of diverse backgrounds is seen by Rima as crucial to their social development. “Learning to mix with kids from all walks of life gives them an awareness and appreciations of everyone’s differences,” she adds.
“The coaches are brilliant. The mentoring is powerful. And the way the whole programme is run – smooth, structured, and full of heart – gives parents like me real peace of mind.”
The last word goes to Hamza, Rima’s youngest: “I recommend it to my friends at school to come here because you make so many new friends, you can win so many prizes, and there’s loads of fun activities!”