A childhood shaped by anaphylaxis
For as long as she can remember, Amelia has loved acting. Whether performing on stage or talking about theatre and films, acting has always been her passion and outlet. Friends describe Amelia as fun and bubbly… She’s the kind of person who once spent an entire week volunteering at Over The Wall Camp dressed as a bumblebee, earning her the affectionate nickname “Bee-melia” from campers!
Yet, behind her outgoing personality is a challenge that shaped much of her childhood: severe anaphylaxis. Living with a life-threatening allergy had a significant impact on Amelia’s childhood and teenage years.
“I was often excluded in many ways, not always intentionally, but it still had an impact and made me feel isolated. I was often told people couldn’t look after me, and that attending certain things was ‘too risky’. Especially in primary school, whether that was friends’ birthday parties or school trips… There were a lot of things in ‘everyday life’ as a child that I couldn’t take part in. After a while, it caused me a lot of stress and anxiety. I barely ate anywhere other than home because I was so scared of eating.”
Struggling as a family
The emotional burden of managing her allergies grew, and Amelia struggled to gain confidence and independence at the same rate as her friends.
She missed out on social activities, and even school trips when the staff told her parents they couldn’t manage Amelia’s allergies safely. Understandably, Amelia worried constantly about accidental exposure to allergens and life-threatening reactions. But she also felt embarrassed by her condition and how it affected her and upset about the things she was missing out on.
For her parents, particularly her mum, an intensive care nurse, the anxiety was equally challenging. They wanted Amelia to experience the independence and adventures that every child deserves but struggled to find environments where she could participate safely.
In 2017, everything changed when Amelia’s mother learned about Over The Wall Camp through an Anaphylaxis UK support group.
A turning point
During her first camp, Amelia felt freedom from anxiety for the first time she could remember. It was her first time away from home, and she describes the experience as life-changing.
At Over The Wall Camp, every meal is planned, prepared, and cooked with extreme care. Every precaution is taken to keep campers safe and avoid exposure to even traces of allergens. This meant that when Amelia went into the dining hall at camp, she could eat anything on offer. The experience of eating from a buffet, a simple activity many children never think twice about, felt extraordinary to her. Eating without fear felt completely new.
“I remember thinking how cool it was that everybody could eat anything being served. I’d never had that in my life.”
With the anxiety out of the way, Amelia could focus on something else… having fun and rediscovering the magic of childhood!
Finding belonging
Before coming to Over The Wall Camp, Amelia had never met another young person living with anaphylaxis. But here, she discovered she’s not alone. Everyone understood her experience and her feelings. She felt no need to explain or apologise, and for the first time she could be herself, without feeling that her allergies defined her.
“I didn’t feel alienated. I didn’t feel different. I felt normal.”
This sense of belonging was transformative for Amelia. For years, she had carried feelings of embarrassment about her condition. At camp, those feelings began to disappear, which helped Amelia feel more in control of her allergies and gave her a newfound confidence.
Creating memories
Amongst the mischief and magic of camp, Amelia made lasting memories. Looking back at her time at camp, she still laughs when she remembers covering a volunteer in face paint and glitter during a spontaneous ‘makeup show’. She recalled how the volunteer arrived at breakfast the next day still sparkling from head to toe.
She also remembers staying awake later than she should have, but not because she was restless and worried, but because she was chatting and laughing with her new friends as they braided each other’s hair.
But the most transformative moments for Amelia were during Cabin Chat.
Each evening, campers gathered with hot chocolate and biscuits to reflect on their day, celebrate their achievements, and share what they were looking forward to.
It was during one of these sessions that Amelia realised something important: She belonged. For the first time, she felt truly accepted and understood.
Building confidence beyond camp
The impact of camp extended far beyond a single week. Ameila says, “Camp made me feel not alone. Camp made me feel connected with other people. Camp made me a little bit more glittery.”
When Amelia returned for her second camp a few years later, she was preparing for the move from primary school to secondary school. Like many children with medical conditions, she dreaded trying to manage her allergies in a new environment with new people.
But at camp, seeing children thrive with similar challenges helped her believe she could tackle it. “It made me think, ‘You can do it.’”
By the age of eleven, Amelia had already decided that she wanted to return to camp as a volunteer when she was old enough. She wanted to help other children to have the same remarkable experiences she’d had.
Becoming a camp volunteer
Seven years later, as soon as she turned eighteen, Amelia fulfilled that promise.
Returning to camp as a volunteer gave her an entirely new perspective.
For the first time, she saw the dedication, planning, and teamwork required to create such a safe and magical environment. She developed a deeper appreciation for the staff and volunteers who work behind the scenes.
She also discovered that volunteers support one another just as much as they support campers. When she started leading activities, Amelia sometimes felt nervous or overwhelmed. Yet she always found someone ready to help.
“I always felt supported. You’re not steering the ship by yourself.”
The experience reinforced the same lesson camp had taught her years before: she’s not alone. With her camp community, she can face challenges and succeed.
Camp is still just as magical!
One of Amelia’s most rewarding experiences as a volunteer has been witnessing the transformations of young campers. She remembers a young boy who arrived at camp in tears, desperately wanting to go home to his mum. He was shy, nervous, and reluctant to participate.
Volunteers supported him, helping him settle in and build confidence. He quickly made friends and grew in confidence. By the end of camp, the same boy was trying to organise a secret ‘kids-only’ birthday party for his teddy bear and was refusing to go to sleep because he didn’t want the fun to stop. At the end of the week, he didn’t want to go home.
For Amelia, moments like these show the impact camp has.
She was also reminded of the value of authenticity. During her first camp as a volunteer, she was worried that teenage campers might think she was “cringe” if she showed her silly side and she wouldn’t be able to get them to engage in activities. But, remembering what camp had taught her when she was a child, she chose to stop worrying about being ‘cool’, and was simply herself.
The result of that example she set? A group of teenagers ended up writing and performing an entire musical about soup! She saw young people ‘letting go’ and immersing themselves in the fun, laughter, and magic of camp.
Life now
Amelia says that without a doubt, camp changed her life as a child. Now, as a volunteer, she helps create the same magic for others. But in doing so and giving back to Over The Wall Camp, Amelia is unexpectedly continuing to gain even more from camp herself.
“As a volunteer, I am still benefiting from camp. I am genuinely so excited each year to come back and jump back into the joy of Over The Wall Camp. Everyone’s lives are made a lot more magical with camp!”
And that is the true impact of the experience… not simply creating memories but helping young people discover that they can be themselves, and they are capable of so much more than they realised.
