Hard Truths!

 

Hi, I’m Pete. 

​

If you're considering hiring The Soul Camp and, more importantly, entrusting us with your people, then I reckon you deserve to know why The Soul Camp exists. And, what it is actually really about.  We are a social business, we use festivals to achieve our social capital aims for our clients. I consider myself a Social Capital Specialist, here's why!

 

H​ere’s my story... Grab a cuppa and a tissue

​

When i was a boy, my lovely step Mum asked me , “what will you do when you grow up darling?”. After due consideration (I always do that!) I replied, “ I don't know, but it will involve music and lights and people having fun.” 

​

I Blame My Childhood!

​

Or do I thank it!? My childhood situation was violent, often completely bleak and terrifying. As a little boy, my inability to stop the violence, surmount my paralysing fear, and accept that I couldn't protect my family, my ‘Tribe’, - from a very violent father - affected me very deeply. And stayed with me.  

​

When things ‘kicked-off’ at home, all the little boy version of me could do was get outside into the safety of Nature. 

 

I’d sleep in hay barns with the rats (they were amazingly friendly and so polite to me considering I was invading their space).  I’d shelter under trees in the storms watching the lightning in awe.  I learned to live with, and to absolutely love, the peace and solace provided - for free, by Mother Earth.

From Dark Days To Light Days

​

That childhood background led to something extraordinarily positive that embedded into my DNA. And that was; to provide happy, fun, invigorating environments where people connect, feel relaxed, safe and happy.

When I became a big boy, I realised that I could now ‘protect my ‘Tribe’. And so I do.

​

And So: My Life’s Work...

​

Waaaaay back in 1999, I founded a seminal, ethical, non-profit club night called Planet Angel. At the time of writing it still has 5,000 fans on facebook. It provides a positive, fun, exciting, inclusive non judgmental environment. As per my DNA.

 

Over the years, Planet Angel has provided that safe, inclusive environment to nearly a quarter of a million people.  And yes, there is excellent music, amazing lights and people, (of whatever human ‘label’), having loads of fun!  

 

​

The Soul Camp Conception

​

​As Planet Angel grew, the Crew and volunteer membership also grew.  I noticed that while we were all working at the events each month, we lacked the time to actually connect ourselves! How Ironic!

So I came up with ‘Crew Weekender’ events - super inclusive social camping gatherings where the Crew and Volunteers could get together to chill out in lovely country camping settings. We’d recover from the blood sweat and tears of hosting thousands of (albeit really friendly and lovely) clubbers each month! A chance for us to connect, have that essential ‘fun’ element and feel safe.  

 

For nearly 30 years, my mission has been about more than just fun; it’s about building Social Capital - the invisible threads of trust and reciprocity that hold a 'Tribe' or a company together.

​

This means designing for Neurodiversity. 

 

It's not about just hosting events; we curate spaces where introverts, extroverts, and neurodivergent team members feel equally safe to connect.  It turns out I'm ADHD and Dyslexic and my wife is Autistic, so we have a head start!

​

Too Many Friends!

​

But as Planet Angel grew, it became increasingly hard to find suitable campsites for sometimes, over a hundred of us at the Crew Weekenders. The traditional camping world wasn't built for large, close knit groups.  

​

We were either refused permission to camp or told at 9 pm by a warden while we’re just chilling around the firepit, that we were not allowed to laugh that loudly. Seriously!  

​

That kind of thing doesn't go down well with me.

​

You see where this is going right!

​

The Birth Of The Soul Camp

So I thought “F*** that, I'll start my own campsite."

​

The idea was simple: It would be focused on groups who just want to chill out and connect in a safe environment with respect to fellow guests and Nature.

Spoiler Alert - (because all this will come out in the blog) - it was extremely difficult!  

 

The Crew Weekenders morphed into an award-winning festival and off things went!

​

Over that time, so many personal and logistical mountains and valleys had to be negotiated - that could never have been anticipated.  I’d still do it again, but OMG, it was really, really, hard. But hey, did i learn about festivals!

But that was that, and The Soul Camp was born!

Hopefully you can see and feel, that cemented into The Soul Camp’s ethos, is true care, a massive ethical history and decades of experience... It’s in our DNA to look out for your Tribe.  

 

While others talk about 'Team Building' (which can often feel forced), we focus on Social Building (I think we invented that term!):a more organic, nature-based approach to strengthening corporate culture and social capital.

 

See you round the firepit!  BiG LOve, Pete