United Kingdom organisation involved with all aspects of camping
The Camping and Caravanning Club |
| Company type | Not-for-profit |
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| Founded | 1901 |
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| Headquarters | Greenfields House, Westwood Way, CV4 8JH, Coventry |
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Area served | Global |
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Key people | Hamza Yassin (President) |
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| Website | www.campingandcaravanningclub.co.uk |
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The Camping and Caravanning Club is a not-for-profit membership organisation based in the United Kingdom. It was founded in 1901 and now represents over 730,000 members. [1]
History
The Camping and Caravanning Club was founded in 1901 as the Association of Cycle Campers.[2] One of the Club's founding members, Thomas Hiram Holding, is considered by many to be the father of modern camping. He also founded the Bicycle Touring Club in 1878, which became the Cyclists' Touring Club, now renamed Cycling UK.[3] Holding wrote The Campers Handbook in 1908 to share his enthusiasm for the great outdoors.[4]
In 1906, the Association of Cycle Campers (now The Camping and Caravanning Club) opened its first camping site in Weybridge. By that time, the organisation had several hundred members. In 1909, the Club changed its name to the Amateur Camping Club. Two more name changes followed: in 1919 (The Camping Club of Great Britain and Ireland) and in 1983 The Camping and Caravanning Club Ltd.
In 1967, Club membership rose to 100,000 and then to more than 300,000 by the end of the 20th century.
Structure
The Camping and Caravanning Club is a not-for-profit membership organisation with over 600 staff and a turnover of more than £50 million. The National Council is the governing body of the Club, which is made up of 18 Elected Councillors, 15 Appointed Councillors, 7 Section Advisory Officers, the Chairman of National Youth Committee and the Club Honorary Treasurer – totalling 42 individuals – all of whom are members. [5]
The Club is structured around five operational areas, headed up by Staff Directors who report to the Director General, who in turn works closely with the Club's Executive Committee and wider National Council. [6]
The Club is split into 13 Regions across the UK. Each Region is made up of a number of District Associations (DAs). The role of the Region is to support and promote communication between DAs. The Club’s Special Interest Sections, The Association of Lightweight Campers, British Caravanners Club, Canoe-Camping Club, The Walking and Cycling Section and The Folk Dance and Song Group are also represented at Region level. [7]
Regional elections are held to elect Club members to region councils; these councils oversee the operation of the District Associations within their Region.
Campsites
The Club operates nearly 100 Club Sites and over 1,100 Certificated Sites across the UK. Certificated Sites (CSs) are small campsites that can accommodate up to five caravans or motorhomes and up to ten tents at any one time.
Certificated Sites
There are over 1,100 Certificated Sites open across the UK. These are open exclusively to Club members and are independently owned. The Club is recognised as an "exempted organisation" within the terms of the Caravan Sites and Control of Development Act 1960. Under this exemption the Club is allowed to issue a certificate to landowners, giving them permission to operate a small campsite on their land without specific planning permission.
Other products and services
The Club offers Arrival breakdown cover from the RAC for its members and a variety of insurance products including car, caravan, tent and motorhome. Club Care has been the long-established provider of insurance for members of The Camping and Caravanning Club for nearly 40 years. [8]
Campers can make ferry crossings and campsite bookings at destinations across Europe as part of the Club’s partnership with Eurocamp and Allcamps.
Annual events
National Camping and Caravanning Week was launched in 2001 to celebrate the Club’s centenary. It takes place every year and coincides with the Late Spring Bank Holiday. [9]
The Torchlight Festival of Camping is the Club’s annual members festival. The event takes place over three days every August and attracts more than 4,500 campers. Since 2022 the event has taken place at Walesby Forest in Nottinghamshire. [10]
The event replaced the original National Feast of Lanterns (NFOL), the members' end-of-season camping festival which was first held in 1921.
