Chelsea Children’s Camp is a non – profit group set up by Chelsea College students and staff in 1961 to take a group of refugee children on a camping trip to the Austrian Alps.  Today, University of Brighton students at the School of Sport & Service Management who are members of the Chelsea Society continue this tradition by fundraising and co-ordinating the provision of an annual residential trip to the coast for disadvantaged young people from Northamptonshire.

The society works closely with the county’s social services and child right’s and education welfare departments and is partnered with the welfare organisation named Right Resolution who provide care workers to support the young people and students.

Each child that CCC works with is disadvantaged in one way or another.  Some have experienced abuse – sexual, physical or emotional; others are coping with bereavement – often of a sibling or parent; some are 'looked after' by the state – they are living with a foster family or in a children’s home; some are the primary care giver of a family member; some have a disability.  Most come from low-income homes where the mere thought of experiencing a holiday is often just a dream.

The week long residential to Eastbourne is educationally based where learning takes place through experiences, activities, locations and positive role models.  Northamptonshire is a land locked city in the centre of England and many of the young people have not experienced a national park, a university setting, the seaside or budgeting / shopping / cooking for themselves.

Society members lead activity sessions using the values based methodology developed by Football 4 Peace to deliver sessions which bond the group and give them an opportunity to make friends, build trust and understanding etc.  The students also share their experiences with the young people giving many a new image of education and what can be achieved in life.