By William Coleman
The National Caravan And Camping Week is almost here and the Camping and Caravan Club are hosting campsite events to help celebrate everything camping, caravanning and outdoor living.
We are now celebrating the 100th annual National Camping and Caravan Week all across the UK and Camping and Caravanning Club were encouraging members to get involved and help share the festivities from coffee morning to colouring competitions.
As we all know, the UK is a nation of caravan lovers and you’d be hard pressed to find someone who has not been on a caravan holiday. So it really is no surprise that the country would jump at the chance to celebrate the century long milestone.
Activities ranged from building a replica of a caravan from 1919, to charity coffee mornings, colouring competitions, and designing caravan-themed bunting.
Members also submitted photos on social media with the hashtag #lovemycaravan for a chance to win a caravan awning package worth over £1,100.
It really is astonishing to think that the first ever commercially produced caravan was built right here in the UK way back in 1919. Since then there has been no stopping the mighty caravan. It has become a major part of British culture, almost as much as fish and chips if you ask me. And what about the wonders the caravan industry does for the UK economy.
Another fantastic display put on by the Camping Club was the first ever floating campsite right here on the River Thames in the heart of London last month.
Julia Bradbury, the Camping and Caravanning Cub’s newest President, actually spent a night on the floating club site and hosted and a party she hosted to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the start of caravan manufacturing in the UK.
The most creative activity was by the staff at the ‘Alton, the Star’ Camping and Caravanning Club site in Staffordshire who made a replica Eccles caravan from 1919 – the year commercial production of caravans started in the UK. They also hosted a party with caravan-themed bunting decorated by families staying on the site during half-term.
In Crowborough, East Sussex, the managers at the Club site organised a children’s colouring competition. Each child completed an outline drawing of a caravan holiday scene, and the best six from different age categories won a WHSmith voucher.
These, and many other activities at other Club sites across the UK, show how caravans have become such an important part of so many people’s lives, and the UK’s economy, and why The Camping and Caravanning Club celebrates National Camping and Caravanning Week each year.
“National Camping and Caravanning Week is all about inspiring the nation to get outdoors whether that’s through caravanning, motorhoming or traditional tent camping. And we’re all more aware than ever that getting into the great outdoors is good for our mental health and well as being great fun,” said Julia Bradbury, TV presenter and President of The Camping and Caravanning Club.
Paul Jones, the Marketing and Communications Director at The Camping and Caravanning Club, said: “It is brilliant that so many of our Club sites joined the celebration of 100 years of the caravan during this year’s National Camping and Caravanning Week. We’re really grateful that our President, Julia Bradbury, launched National Camping and Caravanning Week 2019 in such a fun way and brought the 100th anniversary of the caravan to the attention of the whole country.”
What will you be doing to celebrate 100 years of amazing holidays?
