Camping and Caravanning Club

The Camping and Caravanning Club
Camping Club / Caravanning Club
Founded 1901
Website www.campingandcaravanningclub.co.uk

The Camping and Caravanning Club is a United Kingdom not-for-profit organisation involved with all aspects of camping.

History

The Camping and Caravanning Club started in 1901 as the Association of Cycle Campers.[1] Thomas Hiram Holding, one of the founders, is considered by many to be the father of modern camping. He also founded the Bicycle Touring Club in 1878, which became Cyclists' Touring Club, now renamed Cycling UK.[2] Holding wrote The Campers Handbook in 1908, to share his enthusiasm for the great outdoors. His love of camping derived from his experiences as a boy, which dated back to the mid-1800s.[3]

In 1906 the Association of Cycle Campers opened its first camping site, in Weybridge. By that time the organisation had several hundred members. In 1909 the Association split into three separate organisations, which joined again in 1910 as the National Camping Club. Two more name changes followed, in 1919 (The Camping Club of Great Britain and Ireland) and in 1983. Membership rose to 100,000 in 1967 and more than 300,000 by the end of the 20th century.

Modern club

Since turning 100 years old the club has instigated a number of new initiatives. National Camping and Caravanning Week was created in the centenary year to set a record for the most people camping and caravanning at one time. In 2003, the audited figure for number of people camping out overnight on 24 May was 92,435.

The club now has more than 480,000 members.

The World Tent Pitching Championships has done much to raise the profile of the club and an ongoing media campaign to encourage journalists to try caravanning for themselves.

The club offers a paid membership service to tent, campervan, caravan and motorhome owners, who in return receive discounts at its UK and European campsites. There are currently more than 1400 campsites owned, managed or certified by the Camping and Caravanning Club.

Notable presidents

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Over 100 years of The Camping and Caravanning Club".
  2. ↑ "We are Cycling UK".
  3. ↑ "History of Camping".
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