In January, Birthright Hawke’s Bay Child & Family Care sent 48 children aged between 8 and 12 years old to a week-long camp where the children learnt many new skills as they participated in some new challenges and “honed” their social skills.

This annual camp is held at Stoney Creek Ranch, which is 40 kms out of town and situated within stunning scenery. The staff and volunteers at Stoney Creek are fantastic – encouraging children to challenge themselves and helping them develop their social skills.

Many of these children do not get a chance to go on family holidays due to various financial and family reasons, which is why it is fantastic that Birthright Hawke’s Bay is able to get sponsorship from various organisations and trusts to pay for the week long camp.

Most importantly, the children have a great time interacting with each other and meeting new friends. The flip side is that parents and caregivers also get a much deserved break during the school holidays.

As the photos below how, there is a lot of emphasis on teaching the children new skills (e.g. cooking on a camp stove) and new experiences (e.g. rock climbing and the flying fox). We are very fortunate to have this type of facility in Hawke’s Bay thanks to the kind donations from philanthropic organisations that make it all happen.