Public Relations and summer camp

[momatu]

I've just started a new HP fic in which Harry owns the Chudley Cannons.  Teddy is 10 and will be attending a Quidditch camp for two weeks over the summer.  Is that sort of thing done in Europe?  (The camp will be at Beauxbatons, not Hogwarts, and kids from all over Europe will be attending.)  The fic is for a fest and based on a prompt, so Teddy

Comments

[borolin]

We really don't go in for summer camps here in the UK - I dunno about continental Europe, although I can ask one of my Italian friends if they do them there.

However, even in the UK you do get camps for some specific clubs - the Pony Club has them, variously called either summer camp or summer school. Young riders bring their ponies and spend a week or two pony-trekking (do you do that in the US?) and honing their riding skills. So you could justify a camp for serious junior Quidditch players as being analogous to Pony Club summer camp.

I checked and Rangers Football Club in Glasgow, for example, run junior Soccer Schools at Christmas and Easter, although these are local things you get to on the bus, not residential courses. You could probably just call your liaison people the Chudley Cannons Junior Quidditch Club.

[momatu]

There is very likely something like that out there somewhere, but I'm guessing it'd probably be more out west. (I'm in the northeast.) Horseback riding around where I am is a couple hours, or less, on a trail through the woods. More affluent areas--not that I know this first hand, of course--would have equestrian camps.

Most camps here will have either residential or commuter options, depending on the kids' individual circumstances: distance, budget, etc. I can work that in, some kids commuting.

I think I might bill it as something thought of to promote unity throughout the Wizarding communities of Europe, because it's not only open to Beauxbatons students. Maybe I'll work in a character who is either American or who has spent a year or two teaching here and that is where the idea took root, or do you not think that's necessary?

[borolin]

Pony-trekking is going on long communal riding-tours - sometimes just hours, sometimes days - usually on ponies who are provided by the trekking firm. There are also firms which rent out llamas if you want to go on a walking tour but don't want to have to carry your own rucksack.

If you just want to have kids going to camp for amusement or because their parents want them out of the house, in the American manner, then you may need to provide an American explanation. But if it's for serious junior Quidditch players who really want to hone their skills, then it doesn't need any other explanation.

[borolin]

It's occurred to me that a summer camp in the wizarding world presents extra problems. Parents who only see their children for a few weeks a year may be reluctant to have them go off for two of those weeks, and if any of these kids are old enough to Apparate you have to consider that some will choose to attend the camp during the day and Apparate home at night. I would have thought they'd be more likely to have a summer school which they attended during the day, and which included a weekend away together just for fun.

[taversham]

Summer camps are much less common in the UK, though not unheard of, and the sports ones tend to be geared towards kids who specifically want to learn skills to potentially go professional, rather than kids who just enjoy the sport as a hobby. The more casual things are usually run as local, non-residential "summer school" activities during the day

[momatu]

The prompt specifically called for the camp to be at Beauxbatons, so that's convenient. Costs also work in with his wanting to establish day camps with the Cannons, like you mentioned. So that's all good. I can have him making a mental note to check with the Community department (Capital C, small d?)about day camps.

Thanks for your help!

[starfishstar]

Can't speak to anything in the UK, but I'll second the thought that summer camps are at least somewhat more common in continental Europe - or at least, Germany. I tutored a preteen girl in Germany who loves both languages and horses, so every summer for a week or two she would go away to a camp that combined morning English lessons with afternoons (horse)riding. So it's definitely a thing that exists. Don't know anything about France/Beauxbatons, though!

[momatu]

The prompt specifically called for the camp to be at Beauxbatons, so that's pretty much set in stone. It's good that summer camps are somewhat more prevalent on the Continent. Another person mentioned horses--well, ponies--and Beauxbatons does have winged horses. I'm planning on excursions, and winged horses make a pretty good excursion.

Thanks for your help!

[dizzykj]

I'd definitely second those calling it a "summer school" in the UK, rather than camp, for something where someone learns a specific skill. I seem to remember that more general day camps were just referred to as "doing an activity week at X" in the 80s when I was attending them.

The other thing to remember is that the school summer holidays in the UK are much shorter than in the States - usually just six weeks, from mid July to the beginning of September!

[sollersuk]

They tend to be longer on the Continent, or at least they used to be, so there might be a bit of a problem fitting it in.

[momatu]

I'm going to plan the camp to be in the middle of July, maybe ending on Harry's birthday.

Thanks for your help!

[sollersuk]

That's the problem - Hogwarts seems to have the same sort of term dates as Muggle schools, so mid July would most likely still be during term time.

I went to the French school in London when I was young, and it came as a horrible shock when I changed to an English school with summer holidays about half the length of what I was used to, and in particular 14 July being in term time.

Bb

[anonymous]

Not public relations. More like Pubkic Engagement or Community Engagement or something.

Re: Bb

[momatu]

Thanks for your help!