"If there is one word to describe the impact that the Over The Wall Camp magic and mischief experience has on its participants, it is transformational. "
A positive, profound and enduring impact
Robbie Saul-Georgel’s journey with Over The Wall Camp began with him as a camper, then a volunteer, and latterly an active Committee member. Robbie had a love affair with Over The Wall Camp for nearly two decades, from first attending camp as a 9-year-old, until his untimely death 3 years ago, at the age of 27. The unique world that is the very special Over The Wall Camp ‘bubble’ had a positive, profound and enduring impact upon him and the way in which he chose to lead his life
Here, Robbie’s mum, Fran, shares their family’s story…
Robbie's passion for Camp
We were first introduced to Over The Wall when we attended a family weekend with our patient support group. Robbie was 9 and made a friend who was already signed up for the upcoming Health Challenges Camp. My initial concern about my delicate young son going on an activity camp were largely allayed by a reassuring conversation with the Camp Director, and Robbie’s passion for camp was ignited.
Robbie, the eldest of three brothers, lived his whole life with debilitating congenital heart and lung conditions. The consequence of these was that he struggled physically, sometimes collapsing and therefore needed oxygen to hand at all times. The prognosis from the outset was that he would one day need a heart and lung transplant.
Although Robbie was academically extremely able, simply attending school presented significant difficulties, and a Statement of Educational Need facilitated an oxygen carrying support assistant throughout his school career. Opportunities to participate in physical activities at school were limited for him and he had 1:1 support on any trips. He resented being treated differently, the unwanted attention of a carer and the restrictions put upon him by his condition.
But he also had to deal with the sudden death of his friend. Giving this news to Robbie was completely devastating for us both, but camp was there for him, and returning the following year, he had the opportunity to confront and process difficult emotions, helping him to develop a maturity beyond his years.
Camp became the highpoint of Robbie's year
Camp became a highpoint of Robbie’s year. He would look forward to it like nothing else and with huge anticipation. The end of camp would see him return home tearfully declaring that he just wanted to return to camp. Over The Wall t-shirts and hoodies were his favourite clothing and he had a rainbow collection from his many camps.
It was always clear to his family that camp was giving him confidence in his abilities, rather than focusing on his disabilities, and that he was valued for what he could offer. It gave him the self-belief and confidence that he could achieve whatever he wanted to in life. All this played through to his whole life, at home, at school and socially. He played the guitar, sang, acted. Incredibly, he learned to swim, ride a bike, play tennis, he went to Scouts, learned to ski and even qualified as an instructor. Robbie was growing ever wider wings!
At 16, with special dispensation he passed his driving test, and declared himself to be the youngest driver in the country!
He gained 10 As and A*s at GCSE and moved to a prestigious grammar school for 6th form that he drove himself to every day. He applied to university and secured a place to study Economics and Politics at Exeter University. A friend from camp became a flatmate for his first two undergraduate years.
Camp continued to feature in his year and at 19, just before he started his degree course, he volunteered at Sibling Camp.
What volunteering at Camp meant to Robbie - in his own words
“Now, as a volunteer, all the above is still true. But I’ve also had the privilege to work with some of the most inspirational children one could hope to meet. Conquering fears in ways that were unimaginable to them just a week ago. Throwing themselves into every activity with unrivalled enthusiasm and showing time and again that given the chance and the right conditions, anyone can succeed at what they put their mind to.
I never really considered what impact I had on the lives of volunteers as a camper, despite very obviously feeling the effect of the time spent with them myself.
But now I have been a volunteer, I realise that the campers do just as much for us as we volunteers do for the campers. They make us laugh, cry (happy tears) and watch in awe at the courage, determination, creativity and kindness they display. There is truly nothing like watching a child grow so much as a person in the space of a week.
Nowhere else could you ever say “Bob the dinosaur made it up the climbing wall and down the zip-wire today” or lemon & lime someone without your sanity being questioned. But that’s the beauty of camp. It’s crazy, hilarious and nonsensical, but it’s camp and I wouldn’t want it another way.
Congratulations to everyone involved this week, as someone fortunate enough to have been on both sides of camp, I can tell you you’ve all made a significant impact on the lives of the children you’ve worked with and will never be forgotten.Your energy, patience, kindness, selflessness and general awesomeness is what keeps my faith in humanity alive.
PS: Ratosaurus has found his home now.”
Sharing the magical place that Robbie loved
Robbie’s brothers both attended Sibling Camps from the age of 8, most years together. Siblings are often the unintentionally overlooked collateral damage where there is a child with health challenges, and being able to go to camp was for them multifaceted. They loved the fact that they could experience and share the magical place that Robbie loved, creating a unique Over The Wall Camp bond between them all. Whilst they were at camp, we loved that we could have time with Robbie totally focussing on him without guilt that we were overlooking his brothers.
When Ben was 15, Matt was 17 and Robbie was 20, they all attended Camp together – Robbie as a Volunteer, his brothers as Campers.
It was a very special week for them all, the only time they were ever all away from home together. The memories they created on that camp are very dear to them and their escapades have become embedded in brotherly legend. They witnessed their big brother becoming another person, willing and happy to have his face and nails painted, stepping outside himself, co-hosting the last night Talent Show with his longtime friend Tom. They observed a very normal young man confident and happy being his whole self, no matter what else he had to deal with in life.
Confidence-building camp experiences
After completing his degree with first class honours, Robbie decided to take a gap year. It is hard to imagine that the plans he put together would have been something he would have contemplated without all his confidence-building camp experiences.
He planned and took himself on a 6-week trip around Australia, before heading off to Western Canada to spend a winter ski season. He was hugely disappointed that this was curtailed by the Covid lockdown in March 2020 and more so that his planned summer in the USA at the Hole in the Wall camp (sister camp to Over The Wall Camp) was cancelled. But this set-back was short-lived, and when the lockdown eased, he moved into a bachelor flat with uni friends and started a prestigious job as a management consultant. That summer he met Jordyn, the love of his life, and a year later they were heading out to Canada for a two-year work placement.
Whilst camp, like everything else, was impacted by lockdowns, Robbie was keen to be involved with Over The Wall Camp on a deeper level and with ambitions to become a Board member, he first joined the Operations Committee, and through Zoom meetings from Canada, brought his unique perspective as a Camper and Volunteer, something I know was valued by the team.
In Spring 2022, Robbie returned briefly to the UK, but his condition was clearly deteriorating and the long-dreaded escalation came closer as he was advised by his doctors to be assessed for transplant. In true Robbie fashion though, he wanted to complete his Toronto placement first and with the medical team’s approval, he returned to Canada for another year.
In April 2023, shortly before he was due to return to the UK, Robbie passed away suddenly. He was living his best life. Building a promising career, he was promoted posthumously. He was about to propose to Jordyn and had his future mapped out. His funeral was attended by amongst many others, friends and colleagues from his long association with Over The Wall Camp, all sporting colourful OTW t-shirts bringing friendship, solidarity, smiles and tales of epic escapades to an impossibly difficult situation.
As camp is now establishing its permanent home at Ockbrook, there are plans for a memorial garden. We know that Robbie would want a permanent place at camp where his soul can sing camp songs and his spirit fly free.
