Local charity Birmingham PHAB Camps are searching for children and volunteers from 1967 to celebrate their 50th birthday.
Birmingham PHAB Camps turns 50 this year, and is urging children and volunteers who have taken part since 1967 to get in touch to share their stories, and receive an invitation to the big 50th reunion celebration being held on Saturday 16th September.
Birmingham PHAB Camps is a voluntary organisation that provides holidays for disadvantaged young people with and without disabilities from the Birmingham area. They have provided nearly 17,000 hours of respite care since their beginning 50 years ago.
The charity was founded by a 19 year Birmingham student, Simon Wadsworth, with support from the Cadbury family and the Birmingham Mail, who advertised for volunteers and wrote a story on the very first camp in 1967.
Tony Gray, one of the founding volunteers of the charity said “We all came back from that 1967 camp feeling euphoric and knowing we had done something of purpose that needed to continue. We’d seen the children meet challenges together that made them feel proud, confident and happy”.
Maxine Ross-Wallis, chair at Birmingham PHAB Camps said “Fifty years on and the charity is helping more Birmingham families than ever. This year we are running eight holidays for children and young adults from Birmingham which give them the opportunity to express themselves and make long and lasting friendships”.
She said, “Hearing from some of the children who came on our camps in the 60’s, such as Liz McCann and Mike Green who still remember them clearly is so rewarding. It’s amazing to discover what lasting and wonderful effects the camps have had on people over the years. Now we want to bring volunteers and children of all eras back together to thank them, hear their stories and have a fantastic reunion!”.
Were you a volunteer or participant on a Birmingham PHAB Camp holiday in the 60s, 70s, 80s or 90s, or do you know somebody who was? If so we urge you to get in touch and share your story by emailing phab50th@bhamphabcamps.org.uk, visiting our website: www.bhamphabcamps.org.uk or by calling Maxine Ross-Wallis on 07812 384265