Orpington Methodist Church

Bringing Christ and community together

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VYP Workcamp

The Workcamp began in 1991 and evolved from our Minister Rev. Geoffrey Ainger’s relationship with the Trinitatiskirche in Leipzig.  Each year three teams attend a Workcamp in one of the three countries, on a rota basis, one group from Orpington Methodist Church in the UK, one from Trinitatiskirche in Leipzig and the third originally comprised of students connected to the Theological Institute in Sibiu, and now with the Church in Heltau, Romania. This Workcamp is dedicated to helping the local community and to learning how different nationalities live, through experience and understanding. The age of participants can range from 16 to early 30s (usually Leaders). Over the years many young people have attended several Workcamps and great friendships have been formed.

Everyone is expected to take part in communal living, sharing all the activities and chores.  The work has been varied over the last 17 years but usually involved decorating and refurbishing properties, in particular those involved in youth activities.  This has varied from working with the homeless in Sheffield in 1992, restoration of a disused Manse into a youth hostel and education centre in Jibert, Romania in 2000, and excavations on the Buchenwald Concentration Camp near Weimar, Germany in 1996.

The feedback from the Orpington team members over the past 17 years has always been positive and numerous young people have really benefited from this unique experience. 

Due to operational and leadership difficulties we had to stop this Annual Workcamp in 2008 but thankfully some older members of recent Workcamp Teams have continued to maintain their contacts with the groups in Germany and Romania and have organised to join them privately over the last two years. 

VYP are currently looking for new challenges suitable for our young people.  In 2008 a group from the Church spent a very successful week working with underprivileged children from the Tonbridge area and giving them the opportunity to stay at the Downe Scout Camp.