Honeycomb Mats – for Woodlarks campsite, Farnham, Surrey

Honeycomb mats at Woodlarks

For the past 25 years, Fieldguard has had a policy of donating 2% of their annual turnover to designated charities in either the field of animal welfare or for the benefit of young people in Surrey.

In good years, the goods would be donated, in bad years, sold at cost. These Honeycomb mats pictured left, went to Woodlarks camp site for disabled children to enable wheelchairs to go easily over grass.

Woodlarks Camp Site

From as early as 1930, Martyn and Dorothea pioneered camping holidays for disabled people. They realised that disabled Scouts and Guides were unable to be with their troops when they went to camp, wheelchairs and mud being incompatible. They formed a charitable Trust and purchased a grassy camping ground which over subsequent years was extended to the 12 acre site which now comprises Woodlarks.

From these beginnings the facilities have continually been refined so that Woodlarks is a well equipped site, where children, young people and adults of all ages and with any disability can enjoy the pleasures of living and playing in the open. The enterprise has been manned by volunteers from the very beginning, both as helpers in camp and for administration, and that continues, for there is not one paid employee. It relies exclusively on the commitment of an army of volunteers.

During the summer months, each week the site accommodates a different group, be it special schools, organisations or weeks catering for particular ages and interests. Numbers vary, the biggest group being over 100 persons comprising disabled campers, their helpers and ancillary staff. Woodlarks is now able to cater for every disability. To see a paraplegic ride the aerial runway, or find movement in the heated swimming pool, is to witness utter bliss.

Find out more about the great work provided by Woodlarks Camp Site here.