We have renewed our support for Camp Aspire – a five-day retreat hosted by Aspire NI which aims to support children living in poverty across Northern Ireland – for a second year.
The camp, which takes place in August at Crawfordsburn Scout Centre on the outskirts of Belfast, will see more than 60 12 to 16-year-olds from Aspire’s academy take part in a series of educational sessions around the theme of “So High School”. Like the characters in classic teen movies who unite despite their differences, Camp Aspire creates a space where young people challenge stereotypes and see each other as individuals, not defined by labels.
Through fun activities and guided discussions, the youngsters are provided a safe space to explore diversity, embrace inclusion, and celebrate different cultures whilst working toward building a peaceful and optimistic vision for Northern Ireland.
Whilst education is an important objective of the trip, the break also allows the teenagers to spend five days living side-by-side with each other, relaxing, building friendships and making memories to last a lifetime.
Our sponsorship of the excursion will support a subsidy on the costs for the teenagers, who will be asked to only pay a nominal fee of just £10 to book their spot.
Alison Reid, real estate partner and office head for Gateley Legal NI, said: “We are honoured to again be supporting Camp Aspire and the fantastic experiences they offer to the teenagers within their academy. We share a passionate belief that background should not be a barrier to young people in what they can achieve academically and the mix of educational and physical activity that Camp Aspire offers will go a long way in supporting these teenagers in their most formative years.”
Mark Knox, CEO of Aspire NI, added: “A huge thank you to Gateley Legal NI for supporting this year’s Camp Aspire. Thanks to your generosity, our young people will get the opportunity to have a whole week away for a small cost, which is massive for them. It’s a chance to learn, connect, and grow outside of the classroom, and we’re so excited for what’s ahead.”
The transformative camp is now in its eighth year and is hosted by Portadown-based charity Aspire NI, whose mission is to close the educational attainment gap that exists between rich and poor.
In 2024, only 55% of young people who were eligible for free school meals achieved five or more A*-C GCSEs, compared to 87% of students who are part of Aspire NI’s programme, bringing them in line with their better off peers.
Continuing a long-standing relationship, we selected Aspire NI to be one of our two primary charity partners in Northern Ireland for the year. In addition to supporting Camp Aspire, we have also supported the charity by raising funds at its annual business quiz earlier in the year, through pro bono legal support, and through ad-hoc uniform and stationary drives which help prepare the students ahead of their returns to school.
