FAQs
It is important that you are aware of the information below before booking a place at camp.
Don't hesitate to get in touch with us if you have a question that isn't answered below.
Booking
Parents/guardians can book their young person by picking a camp and pressing the ‘Book via Pebble’ button. Please ensure that it is the parent/guardian’s email address on the form and not the young person’s email address.
The parent/guardian of the young person should make the booking.
The person who completes booking is designated by Pebble as the primary point of contact. This person assumes full responsibility for the accuracy of information provided for all children in that booking.
All communication will only be sent to this person’s contact details.
- All Kids camps: Tuesday, 6th January, 2026, at 8am
- All Junior camps: Wednesday, 7th January, 2026, at 8am
- All Senior camps: Thursday, 8th January, 2026, at 8am
A non-refundable deposit of £25 is taken when you book. Deposits are tied to the camp you book and are not transferable. The finance team will invoice you for the remaining balance after Easter.
Spaces are given out on a first-come, first served system. Spaces will be allocated based on the order of booking until we reach our capacity.
If a camp fills, a waitlist button will appear on Pebble. We recommend checking other camps if your first choice is full.
Please put the school year they are currently in when bookings open in January.
The school year your young person is in the January before camp determines which camp they can attend. Please do not use the school year they will be moving into after the summer.
We kindly ask you to ensure your young person is booked into camp with the correct school year. Bookings will be reviewed and spots with the incorrect year group may need to be released.
For homeschooled or non-Scottish campers please choose the Scottish equivalent school year your young person is in.
We now operate a first-come, first-served, system which means we can’t promise your young person will be able to go with their friend/sibling.
However, we understand the importance of friendships and after you book we send out an Additional Information Form for you to let us know who they’d like to share a dorm with. We can’t promise this will happen, but we’ll try our best!
No. To ensure the safety of all children and the integrity of our safeguarding procedures, parents/guardians must register their own young person separately.
Please do not include young people from other families in your booking.
You can find our booking agreement here.
Finance
All accommodation, meals, activities and travel during camp are covered by the camp fee. Occasionally there are optional, extra activities offered at an additional cost, but plenty of notice will be given prior to camp if this is the case. Campers who are travelling a long distance may also be required to bring extra money for buying food on the way home.
At most camps there will be a book stall, and some days out with the opportunity to shop. It is suggested that campers take a small amount of spending money for these occasions, and campers are encouraged to deposit their money in the camp bank.
FCYC also offers transport to/from camp from various locations across Scotland, however, please note that these travel costs are in addition to camp fees.
Once a camp place has been confirmed by the FCYC Coordinator, an invoice will be emailed along with all the details of how and when to pay. Invoices can be paid up over time but must be paid in full at least four weeks prior to the start of camp.
Yes! For families sending more than one young person to camp a £40 discount is available on the camp fees for each additional child. You can apply for this in the Additional Information Form.
The Camper Support Fund is in place to assist families who would struggle finically to send their young person to camp. Find out more here.
You can cancel at any time by writing to camps@freechurch.org.
Deposits are non-refundable.
Camp places cancelled after 31st March will incur a charge of 20% of the camp fee (in addition to the deposit)
No refunds will be issued for cancellations made within four weeks of the start of camp, except in cases of medical or family emergency.
No refunds will be issued for transport changes or cancellations within four weeks of the start of camp, as associated costs will have already been incurred.
Transport
Yes! FCYC aims to offer chaperoned travel from Stornoway, Ullapool, Inverness, and Perth.
This is not always possible and particularly where there are low numbers, parents/guardians may be required to make their own travel arrangements. We’ll be in touch with you if this happens.
Parents/guardians are also welcome to drop their young person off at camp and pick them up afterwards.
Travel requirements should be indicated when registering for camp. Requests for changes to booked transport must be submitted in writing no later than 4 weeks prior to the start of camp.
We’re making some changes to how transport works at FCYC to make things smoother and better. From summer 2025, we will have centralised pick-up and drop-off points at Stornoway, Ullapool, Inverness, and Perth, with the current Edinburgh and Glasgow points combining at Perth.
For Oswestry campers we will offer transport points at all the above locations as well as continuing to offer a transport point in Glasgow. This is on route for the bus and had high demand.
For chaperoned travel from Kincraig to Stornoway, Kincraig campers will now join the Renfrew campers back on the evening ferry.
Medical
Parents/guardians are required to complete a medical questionnaire for their child/children prior to camp. All medical, social and behavioural issues affecting their child, and potentially other children, must be detailed. FCYC staff will maintain confidentiality regarding any issues which are disclosed. Campers can retain their own inhalers, but other medication will be held by the camp Medical Officer and will be issued according to prescriptions/instructions.
FCYC are keen to be as inclusive as possible whilst noting that camps are run by volunteers, and a variety of venues are used. Each camp is different, and different camps may suit different campers’ needs. Parents/guardians of a young person with Additional Support Needs are encouraged to discuss with the FCYC Coordinator the suitability of the different camps for their child, and whether any support or adjustments are needed to help ensure a positive camp experience.
To discuss your requirements, please contact the FCYC Coordinator.
Each camp has a qualified First Aider who will carry out First Aid in the event of an illness or injury. This will be followed by professional medical assistance as necessary. In the event of a serious illness or injury, the parent/guardian will be contacted immediately and, in some circumstances, it may be necessary for the camper to be collected and returned home.
Other
The camps are staffed by volunteers who have been chosen for their gifts, talents and skills. Our leaders and cooks are all Christians, have all submitted application forms, and had references checked. They all have up-to-date membership of the Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) scheme, and must have undergone Free Church Safeguarding Training, according to the Free Church Safeguarding Policy. They are also given specific FCYC Training to make sure that campers can all get the most out of camp!
Camps are for those who are in Primary 5 to Secondary 6. Camps are split into school year groups. For example, campers who want to go to a P5-P7 camp must be in P5, P6 or P7 in the January prior to camp. Those who are in S6 in the January prior to camp should apply for a senior camp.
The Free Church of Scotland maintains Public Liability cover to include the work of FCYC. All of the venues being used have their own Public Liability Insurance. If personal insurance cover is required for belongings, personal accident or in case you need to cancel this should be arranged separately by parents/guardians.
Our Social Media Guidance is available here.
Campers Support Fund
Campers Support Fund is in place to assist families who would financially struggle to send their child/children to camp. Through generous donations we can offer the following discounts to those who need it:
- £100 discount per child (we will require a reference to support your application)
- £200 discount per child for parents/carers who are in receipt of the following:
- Universal Credit (where your monthly earned income is not more than £726)
- Income Support
- Income-based Job Seeker’s Allowance
- Any income related element of Employment and Support Allowance
- Child Tax Credit, but not Working Tax Credit, with an income of less than £18,725
- Both Child Tax Credit and Working Tax Credit with an income of up to £8,717
- Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
Apply to the Camper Support Fund below. Please note, you must have registered for camp already before you can apply to the fund.