Eddie Rice Camp Cork 2024

A little about us and the Edmund Rice name, we are a fully volunteer operated organisation which seeks to uplift and empower children facing adversity in their lives. Manifesting as but another facet of his legacy, the Edmund Rice camps carry on the ideology of their namesake by providing opportunities for children to personally grow in a supportive and nurturing environment. Edmund Rice, in his time, dedicated his wealth and renown to ensure education and social justice was provided to many, under the Congregation of the Christian Brothers, and whilst it initially grew as an institution to provide education, his vision has since extended far beyond which to numerous charitable organisations and social initiatives aimed at continuing to aid those in any form of need. In spite of the ways it has developed, the ethos of Edmund Rice remains at its core, emphasising the importance of inclusion, empowerment, and compassion.

These ideals too live strong within our own camp, we encourage children of all social backgrounds to join, empowering their own individuality by accepting and celebrating who they are. All the while we maintain a compassionate and understanding outlook providing our camp without any semblance of a cost, a completely free experience graciously provided by our wonderful volunteers. We, like so many others under the Edmund Rice name, are dedicated to ensuring children are not only provided with an unforgettable experience but furthermore we endeavour to equip the children with the tools and supports they may need to thrive long after they have left camp, embracing their unique potential to ensure that each and every one has the opportunity to realise their dreams and reach this potential.

Our time with the children varies from year to year, however, we typically aim to provide a weeklong summer camp for the children of Cork. As we are fully volunteer operated the duration of camps are heavily reliant upon the kindness and generosity of the people of the greater Cork area and beyond. Due to this we endeavour to place ourselves within the centre of the social environment of the city. Through the organisation of fundraising activities such as pub quizzes, cake sales and a myriad of other activities we not only seek to raise the necessary financial support for our camp, but also to reinforce the ideals Edmund Rice once lived by, to provide the community with even the smallest of gratitude’s. In spite of these efforts, we face a continual uphill battle, requiring in excess of four thousand euros each year to provide all the activities for the children. The aim of our GoFundMe campaign is to alleviate some of these concerns.

Due to the connections, we have fostered we have been especially grateful to the Cork Life Centre and Blarney Street CBS for the provision of the facilities necessary for the running of our camp. We are further grateful for the continued backing of the Cork Lions throughout the years, the support of each group has undoubtable ensured Edmund Rice Camps Cork continues to prosper.

The support we have acquired elsewhere has and will continue to provide for the many amenities which the children and volunteers will require throughout the week of camp, and it is through your donations that we can continue to provide such comforts. Much like Edmund Rice once did, we seek to provide all involved with a daily breakfast and lunch. Much of the finances goes towards activities, which can range from our volunteers organising an activity to be done in house, to us hiring someone to come in for an afternoon activity, to our day trips. Day trips are often our most expensive undertakings, here we bring the children off camp to a attraction somewhere throughout the city, these activities are especially loved by the children as it often allows them to experience something rarely done, and it is because of this admiration we are willing to take on such costs. These costs comes in various forms such as fees for transportation or the organisation and booking of activities.

We understand the power even one donation can make and because of that we are so very grateful for any and all donations’ people would be willing to make. Having seen the joy Edmund Rice Camps have brought to the many faces of Cork we will continue to provide these camps to the best of our abilities for the years to come. If we have interested you into the workings of camp or if you yourself are prospective volunteer, please do not hesitate to contact us across our social media channels, we would love nothing more then to hear from you. Thank you so very much for taking the time out of your day for hearing our story!

Signed,

Camp Coordinators,

Charlie, Elizabeth, Kate, Katie, Mark