5000 campers, 34 nations and 9 fabulous campsites – Camping at the Games did it!
Campingninja saw over 5,000 campers utilise our pop up campsites this summer and having seen the staggering increase in hotel prices it wasn’t just the British who caught the bug! Campers hailing from an incredible 34 countries chose to stay with Campingninja, giving each site a real international flavor. Many of these visitors had never even camped before but loved it so aside from hosting thousands of visitors we hope we have inspired a new generation of campers!
One of Campingninja’s key objectives for the project was to leave a legacy for British sport at the grass roots. 75% of the camping fees raised will go back into the sports clubs which were transformed into temporary campsites, and the additional trade from thirsty campers in the evenings will also go along way!
One of the busiest sites was Blackheath Rugby Club, only a short distance from Greenwich Park, one of the world’s oldest rugby clubs did a fantastic job at hosting around 1,000 campers. Mark Fiander, Project Manager, comments;
“Opportunities like this don’t come around often for our club or some of the local suppliers involved. Our volunteers have had a great time meeting so many new faces this summer, the campers have been excellent and so much fun! The funds we have raised will be a real help in supporting even the day to day running of the club as well as the future projects we hope to run for our developing teams. We simply could not have done this without Campingninja.”
At Campingninja we hope to continue connecting thousands of people to the great outdoors and make camping a great option at more events across the country. Geoff Vaughan, Co-Founder of Campingninja comments:
‘We were told so many times this summer that our sites had a great community atmosphere as well as being hugely affordable. The highlight for me was having campers from across the spectrum. We had a fantastic group of Olympic Gamesmakers who were camping for the very first time! After such a successful 2012 we will be expanding our Events Operation and bringing it to other sporting and music events around the country, continuing to make camping a great option for both members of the public and work contractors.”
Thank you to everyone involved in Camping at the Games, from the campers, campsites to all the local suppliers we couldn’t have done it without you!
The Campingninja Team
The Paralympics is set to end a glorious summer of SPORT and CAMPING!
We are delighted to have re-opened three of our campsites for the Paralympics including; Eton Manor RFC, Blackheath Rugby Club and Redlands Community Sports Hub in Weymouth. As predicted Eton Manor, only a 10 minute tube ride from the Paralympic Park is almost sold out, which suggests that ticket sales are up and Games Makers are on standby for what is dubbed to be the most successful Paralympic Games – ever!
The success of the Olympic Games will be difficult to replicate but if anyone can do it, it’s Team GB! With a target of 103 medals and a 2nd place finish in the table, Team GB has the belief and support of the nation behind them so now we just eagerly await tonight’s opening ceremony as the torch makes it’s way through East London!
Aside from the sporting success of the nation another thing we have shouted about all summer is our fantastic campers! Urban camping has been an even bigger success than we could have ever imagined and the sports clubs involved will benefit from the legacy it has created for years to come. Many Games Makers, ticket holders and even just visitors to London have embraced the camping experience and marvelled at how much fun the experience was! And if you don’t believe us check out the reviews…
Over the course of the summer our sites will have hosted over 5,000 campers from 34 different nations, many of whom have never camped before…certainly not in London. So we hope that aside from inspiring a generation of sports pros this summer, by the end of the Paralympics we also hope to have inspired a generation of campers! After all this is what Campingninja does all year round, WE LOVE CAMPING!
The Campingninja Team
Ahead of your Paralympic booking, see if these tip-top reviews of Blackheath RFC send you camping crazy!
Mark and the guys at Blackheath RFC really pulled the stops out over the Olympic period; having never run a campsite on this scale before they excelled themselves in their attentiveness to all you happy campers, and their willingness to help. The bar proved to be a valuable asset, providing a welcome place of rest for weary Games Makers returning from a hard day at the Olympic Venues!
Willem & Tineke Verwejj, Gouda, The Netherlands – Blackheath
On Saturday the 4th August we decided to come to London. Having the Games this nearby was an opportunity we couldn’t resist. Since the hotels had discount prices which we still found to be a lot of money we looked for a campground near London and found this Campingninja site. This, together with the warm welcome (and showers), clean toilets and a bar made it a wonderful stay. Very well done! And off course we also enjoyed the Games!
Pat Lewis, Sheffield,UK- Blackheath
Our stay in a pre-erected tent helped make our trip to the Olympics.There was a great atmosphere,a great mix of people from many countries,the organisation and the organisors were both top notch.My thanks and congratulations!!
Niki, Plymouth
We stayed at Blackheath for 10 days. We had a fantastic time. The atmosphere was amazing particularly in the bar when team GB were competing! The facilities were good and the staff were amazing. What a great experience.
Natalie, Lancashire
What a great idea to use a rugby club for a campsite, all the facilities you need- showers, toilets, bar, shop around the corner. Staff were really helpful advising which trains etc to get (2 stops to Blackheath then 10min walk to Greenwich Park). Most other campers were Games Maker volunteers, they worked long days so everyone was in bed early.
Glad we chose to camp!
Kate, Southampton, Hampshire
I was a Games Maker and camped at Blackheath Rugby Club for the whole duration of the Games. I was very happy with all the arrangements, particularly the dedication of the 24 hour security team – it must have been very lonely at the dead of night! I was also very impressed with the speed with which Ryan, the barman, remembered what I drank – the bar was very, very busy most of the time!
If this tempts you to go and join in the fun, just click on either of the pictures and you will be redirected to the booking form for Blackheath RFC. Good facilities, good atmosphere and fantastic customer service sets this site apart, with fantastic access to Greenwich and the ExCel Centre it is not to be missed.
Ahead of your Paralympic booking, this is what our other campers had to say about Eton Manor RFC…
Eton Manor- widely acclaimed Olympic campsite, has found that Camping at the Games was such a great success that the doors will now be open for the Paralympic period as well. Before making your booking, take a look below at some of the reasons why…
Happy Camper, Bournemouth – Eton Manor
Gold Medal to Eton Manor , a fabulous location and friendly group of people. Food good and showers hot! We spent 2 nights at the campsite which was in a perfect location for the Olympics. Great to mingle with fellow spectators and Games Makers alike whilst watching the action on the big screens.
Lynne, Wirral – Eton Manor
We are not a family of campers so it was great that the tent was already erected and set up for us as soon as was arrived, the friendliness and assistance was first class, the breakfast was lovely and made a great start to our day.
Big Thank You
David, Barlaston, Stoke on Trent – Eton Manor
What fantastic staff, they worked with the same enthusiasm as the Games Makers and should be given the full uniforms in recognition. From being welcomed on the site to 24 hour security to breakfast from 6.00am, the whole staff from grass roots up were a credit to London.
Pat, Sheffield, UK – Eton Manor
Our stay in a pre-erected tent helped make our trip to the Olympics. There was a great atmosphere, a great mix of people from many countries , the organisation and the organisers were both top notch. My thanks and congratulations!!
Rachel, Norwich – Eton Manor
Can’t express enough how brilliant those running the site were. This was a brilliant place to stay if you are a Games Maker because it is so close to the Olympic park. They provide a much needed breakfast for a small cost, and the same with dinner. Kept clean and tidy, with friendly staff around at all times including all night. Would definitely recommend for the Paralympics!
So there you have it, Games Makers, families and general ticket holders alike felt welcomed and valued at Eton Manor, whilst the nosh wasn’t too bad either! Get down there and become part of the enthusiasm and care that only comes with local, grass roots sports clubs.
Ninjas in the News- Roll on Paralympics
In the build up to the Olympics, Camping at the Games began to spark interest in the media as more and more of you happy campers and Games Makers booked into our sports clubs across the capital. Heads turned as cries of ‘£10 a night!’ rang out across London, the Olympic camping phenomenon had begun; from the far reaches of Europe, to the South of America where the Olympic torch will burn next in 2016, journalists flocked to document the spectacle that all of you who contributed to London 2012 have created. We have collated some of the best bits of press coverage as we are so proud of the positive reaction Camping at the Games has received. We hope seeing the videos below, and the widely acclaimed Olympic camping experience will inspire you to book for the Paralympics!
The Voice of America paid a visit to Blackheath, where Games Maker Keith Regan showed them around the site, and gave a sneaky peek at his camping set up… Get prepared for your Paralympic Games visit by taking a look at his extensive inventory below…
http://www.voanews.com/content/campers-brave-british-weather-to-see-the-olympics/1451835.html
Match Day Centres was visited by the Spanish press, and greeted by happy campers and Games Makers alike; there was a widespread outbreak of ‘Olympic fever’ as Gary puts it in the video below, check out the cooked breakfasts! Nothing can keep an Englishman from his bacon and eggs…
Eton Manor attracted the attention of the German Press Suddeutsche, perhaps it was the efficiency of Gary Davies’ set up that drew their eye? Congratulations to everybody at Eton Manor, excellent job done by all, and nothing but positive reviews have come of it. Check out the video below to see why Samantha came to London… To buy a Heat magazine maybe?…
http://www.sueddeutsche.de/sport/olympia-zeltplatz-statt-hotel-1.1432021
More evidence of ‘Olympic fever’ was captured by The Guardian at Eton Manor: Games Makers, families, ticket holders, and even those just along for the ride. We here at Campingninja had so much time for the Union Jack Batman t-shirt sported by Harry, six, from Warwickshire; we just hope there were not too many ‘Dark Knights’ for him at Eton Manor… First and last pun, do not worry campers, this is not The Daily Mail!…
http://apps.facebook.com/theguardian/sport/gallery/2012/aug/05/olympic-campers-pictures
At Eton Manor we teamed up with BBC Radio 5 Live, who broadcast their live show direct from our campsite. They chatted with campers, ninjas, and anybody who was up for joining in the fun! Even 2 time Olympian, and gold medal winner Marlon Devonish joined us for the show and it was fantastic to see the support we have gained through Camping at the Games. The show focused on the Olympic legacy, and how that ties into our goals for the project. We aim to contribute to sustainable, progressive and supportive sport programs across the capital, and you have helped us to achieve this aim! Camping at the Games has been a bigger success than we could have imagined here at Campingninja, similarly to London 2012, the people of Britain have contributed to arguably the most important cultural event in the UK in living memory, everybody give yourselves a pat on the back!
If you fancy staying with us, and haven’t tried out a ninja camping experience just yet, please head over via the linked pictures below to the campsite profile pages. You’ll find more info and glowing reviews from all our satisfied campers, don’t miss the chance to become one yourself!
Blackheath RFC- Paralympic campsite
Eton Manor RFC- Paralympic campsite
Weymouth College- Redlands Sport Centre Paralympic campsite
