For those of you who are not aware of social camping with the Camping and Caravanning Club via District Associations. Social Camping is a term the Club uses to describe the Meets and Temporary Holiday Sites (THS) organised and managed by our District Associations (DAs), Regions or Special Interest Sections.
The Camping and Caravanning Club chose this term because it explains what this style of camping is all about, camping events run by passionate volunteer members, for members who share the same interests.

It is highly recommended that you have your own sanitation and enough power to last the duration of your stay as hook up is genreally not available but water and Elsan facilities are always available. Booking for the majority of events is not required, just turn up and prepare to have as much fun as you can manage. Social Camping offers some of the most inexpensive camping available, and you’ll always be guaranteed a warm, friendly welcome at any meet run by Shropshire District Association.

Expect the basics – anything else is a bonus!

DA’s offer the most inexpensive camping available. Our meets are at basic venues with minimum facilities, there aren’t normally toilet or shower blocks and no electric hook ups.

Fresh drinking water is always available along with toilet disposal point(s).

When you arrive on site, you must report to the meet Steward – the person who is ultimately responsible for the meet – they will take your details and guide you to your ‘pitch’.

Shropshire DA does not charge for awnings, pets etc. The only added charge is for extra adults (more than two per unit) at £3 per night.

Sites opening and closing times

• Please do not arrive at any site before 13:00hrs, unless prior arrangement has been made with the steward.
  The steward MUST be the first person on site to comply with the Camping Exemptions Certificate.
• Weekend meets will close around 1pm , unless otherwise stated.
  Please check our Facebook Page for up to date meet details

Our meets vary from week to week – sometimes it’s a quiet weekend, other times we use halls and visitors are welcome to join us in the evening – just bring your chairs and drinks along. Sometimes we even have themed weekends – take a look at our Meets Page pages to find out the types of things we do. 

You’re never obliged to take part in any of the activities – if you’d prefer to sit back and relax, that’s fine too!

At a normal weekend meet, we hold a ‘Coffee Morning’ on a Sunday at 11am. 

Visitors are invited to bring their chairs and cups – we’ll provide tea, coffee and biscuits – for an update of what’s scheduled for the coming weeks.

One thing’s for certain – you will always receive a warm welcome from the meet Steward and there’s always someone who’ll offer help if you need it.

You do not need to book to attend any meets or THS’s (unless stated on the website). The whole point of DA camping is to make it as easy as possible to join in. You don’t have to commit yourself to anything when booking. You just turn up, present your membership card, pay your fee to the Steward and pitch. You don’t even have to stay for a minimum number of nights.

There may be the option on busy THS’s to book in advance (minimum duration applies for booking) for busy sites, to avoid the possibility of turning up and being turned away because its full. Some advertised “themed” meets require booking as they are usually fully subscribed due to their popularity.

Pets

Pets are welcome at all our meets, provided

• All Pets (Cats and Dogs) must be on leads at all times, no longer than 2 meters (unless constrained within your own unit!)

• Any fouling must be cleared up immediately and disposed of properly.

• Dogs should not be near the drinking water points.

• It is forbidden to fly kites or model aircraft, including Drones at events.
• The use of catapults, airguns, firearms, bows and arrows or similar equipment is also not permitted.
• Ball games and bubble generating toys/equipment/machines are acceptable only with permission of the Steward on an open space away from units.
• While on site respect a 5 MPH speed limit. This is to protect the field, our children, and our pets.
• No Learners or underage drivers are permitted to operate vehicles whilst on site.

Unless otherwise specified, All waste must be taken home and disposed of via your home refuse system.
Temporary Holiday Sites will provide refuse disposal for those onsite. Please ask the Steward for details.

All meets (unless explicitly stated) require you to have your own sanitary means. 

People in motorhomes and caravans use their onboard toilets and showers, there are always chemical disposal points and freshwater taps to fill up drinking water. 

Campers in tents tend to use portable toilets and showers. 

At some locations with halls, there are toilets to use although are normally only available on the days where they are open for entertainment.

This is a question that comes up many times for new members and electric hook up is not normally available at meets and temporary holiday sites, but honestly you don’t need it. 

It’s often used as a safety net for people who worry about running out of power. Your caravan was designed to run off a 12 volt battery (water pump, lighting, heating fan, etc are all 12v) and gas.

Fridges run most efficiently off gas as well as your heating and water heater. A 12v caravan leisure battery should normally last a weekend without any change (even with lighting, heating fans, phone chargers, 12v tv’s etc plugged in). 

The majority of people who meet up use solar panels to charge the battery. 

These are either stand alone ones or fitted to the roof. Solar panels are recommended for meets greater than 3 days or for temporary holidays sites. 

Please get in touch if you are worried and we’ll do our best to help you.

Please remember that we are all members of the ‘friendly club’ and to be both courteous and considerate to fellow campers when using generators on all rallies.

Generators should always be located adjacent to your own unit, and not in an area where they could cause any inconvenience or danger to other members and MUST NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES be left running unattended.

Please remember that the meet steward has the right to ask you to silence your generator if it is causing a noise nuisance to your neighbours. At some locations there may be additional restrictions on the use of Generators, please check with the Steward regarding this matter.

Simple answer is no!

Normally caravans and motorhomes don’t come with inverters installed to convert electrical power in the 12 volt battery to 240 volt mains supply. 

If you have a need to use these they can be purchased for around £80+ from online retailers and will permit 240 volt appliances to run, however solar panels are recommended to replenish the battery during the day. 

Please visit our Facebook page and put the question out there, we’ll be happy to help you!

Fire Regulations

Inline with the Camping and Caravanning Clubs Policy, it is recommended that you have a filled fire bucket outside their unit. Units will be well spaced and sited so that they do not restrict access to, or exit from any unit or the area in case of emergencies.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING GAS CYLINDERS

Inline with legislation on the use of external gas cylinders

Following the instructions issued on Green paper 3.1(version 2) issued June 2008 which insists that no cylinders with a capacity greater than 15kg will be allowed at any club event of any kind to supply touring caravans, motorhomes, tents or BBQ’s.

The use of any size cylinder to supply gas via a gas BBQ point is not permitted. We also insist that any cylinder external to the unit is staked or attached to the unit in a secure manner as to prevent tilting. To save any embarrassment, please do not break these rules.

Persistent offenders will be asked to leave the site 

Thank you.

Water and Chemical Waste

• Drinking Water and Elsan (toilet cleaning/emptying) points will always be clearly labelled. However if you cannot identify one, please ask the steward. Under no circumstances must you take any part of your toilet to the drinking water taps.

Aqua Rolls

• In the interests of safety please when filling your aqua roll do not tow it behind your vehicle to or from the water filling point.

Photographs and Reports:

If you would like to share your meet reports, images and announcements with other members of the DA then please contact Our Webmaster who willl provide further details and information

Shropshire District Association will be taking photos at meets and events.

These images will be used by Shropshire District Association to share news about our meets, and to publicise our future events.

Images may be used across selected Social Media Outlets (including our Facebook Page), printed publicity and published on Shropshire District Association’s website.

They will be stored securely, and will be deleted once they are no longer needed for publicity purposes.

If you object to you or your child appearing in any photographs taken at any meet that we may use, please contact any member of the Committee and we will delete them.

Navigation Aids

Many DA’s are now using What3Words for meet location markers
what3words is an easy way to identify precise locations.
Every 3m square has been given a unique combination of three words: a what3words address.
Now you can find, share and navigate to precise locations using three simple words.
Use what3words to:

– Help emergency services know exactly where to find you
– Plan exact meet-up locations

Download What3Words to your smart phone (available for Apple and Android)

Many drivers claim a satnav is the best device they’ve ever had in their vehicle, but satnavs can be a distraction too and often take drivers places they didn’t want to go!!
Understand the limitations of a sat nav system so that you can get the best out of it without getting into trouble. It’s a good idea to carry a road atlas for back-up, too.
Please ensure the route you have selected is suitable for your unit.

Links to DAs/Special Interest Groups

• North Central Region
• Chesterfield DA
• Derbyshire DA
• Norths Staff DA
• North Wales DA
• Staffordshire DA

Special Interest Groups

• Walking and Cycling Section
• Midlands British Caravanners Club
• Canoe-Camping Club
• Midland Folk, Dance and Song Group
• East Midlands Motor Caravan Section