[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.15.1″ background_image=”https:\/\/oakscampsite.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Oaks-Shadow.jpg” global_module=”1780″ saved_tabs=”all” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_post_title meta=”off” featured_image=”off” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” title_text_color=”#FFFFFF” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_post_title][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”RGBA(255,255,255,0)” custom_padding=”0px||0px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row make_equal=”on” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”||||||||” text_text_color=”#ffffff” text_font_size=”20px” background_color=”#00a794″ custom_padding=”50px|50px|50px|50px|false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
It’s hard to believe that years ago the Oaks Campsite was nothing but a woodlands with a field to camp on. Today the campsite thrives with campers using our onsite facilities and activities, giving life changing experiences to hundreds of young people each weekend.<\/p>\n
This page explains the history of who we are and how we got to where we are today.<\/p>\n
[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_2,1_2″ make_equal=”on” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”|300|||||||” text_text_color=”#ffffff” header_2_font=”|||on|||||” header_2_text_color=”#FFFFFF” header_2_font_size=”30px” header_2_letter_spacing=”2px” background_color=”#003982″ custom_padding=”50px|50px|50px|50px|false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
It is not certain when the first tent was pitched on the fields that are now the Oaks Campsite. The site was called Cat Hill at this time, taking its name from the woods to the west of the site.<\/p>\n
It all started with Capt. John Leveson Ward MC. Capt. Ward founded the Scout troop in Castle Donington in the early 1920\u2019s and went on to become the Rover Scout Commissioner for Leicestershire towards the end of the decade, however the story of the Oaks begins earlier and in his own words he describes how the site came to be first used.[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”||||||||” text_text_color=”#ffffff” header_2_font=”|||on|||||” header_2_text_color=”#FFFFFF” header_2_font_size=”30px” header_2_letter_spacing=”2px” background_color=”#00a794″ custom_margin=”||||false|false” custom_padding=”50px|50px|50px|50px|false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
In 2016 a team of volunteers from the site and Severn Trent came together to reconstruct the Alpine hut.<\/p>\n
[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/oakscampsite.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/History-2.png” title_text=”History-2″ align=”center” force_fullwidth=”on” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”||||||||” text_text_color=”#ffffff” header_2_font=”|||on|||||” header_2_text_color=”#FFFFFF” header_2_font_size=”30px” header_2_letter_spacing=”2px” background_color=”#8300e9″ custom_margin=”15%||||false|false” custom_padding=”50px|50px|50px|50px|false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
His description goes: \u201cThe 1914 war was over and I had decided to give up the regular army and go back to H & M [Hanford and Miller], hosiery manufacturers in Loughborough. I was made manager of the Whitwick factory and got a room at the Forest Rock Hotel. Some of the local boys asked me to form at Troop which I did and we went to camp on the high ground (Timberwood) near the Forest Rock. One night I was walking round and I met a gentleman. He stopped me and we passed the usual pleasantries. I said I hoped I should not offend the owner. \u201cYou\u2019re speaking to him\u201d said the gentlemen (Shirley Clarke) and this began years of friendship. \u201cMy house is down there\u201d said he, \u201ccome along down\u201d\u2019. It was in a beautiful position right in the Charnwood Forest. Years later I was skipper of the Scottish Scouts in Leicester and with Shirley Clarke\u2019s help built the hut in the picture.\u201d <\/em><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”|300|||||||” text_text_color=”#ffffff” header_2_font=”|||on|||||” header_2_text_color=”#FFFFFF” header_2_font_size=”30px” header_2_letter_spacing=”2px” background_color=”#003982″ custom_padding=”50px|50px|50px|50px|false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n The site is now a busy District campsite, owned by Loughborough and Charnwood Districts of Leicestershire and is run entirely by volunteer staff who maintain the site, run the activities and act as wardens for the site. <\/p>\n The site has a reputation for friendly and helpful staff and you can recognise our staff by the green shirts or fleeces, with the Oaks Staff logo on the back or by or Yellow and Green rugby shirts.[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" It’s hard to believe that years ago the Oaks Campsite was nothing but a woodlands with a field to camp on. Today the campsite thrives with campers using our onsite facilities and activities, giving life changing experiences to hundreds of young people each weekend. This page explains the history of who we are and how […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1693,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-126","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"yoast_head":"\nToday<\/h2>\n