192,316 steps, four hours’ sleep a night and one unforgettable week

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Seven days, seven nights, around 60 children, 40 fellow volunteers and 192,316 steps. It’s fair to say that volunteering at Derby Kids’ Camp isn’t exactly a relaxing week away!

Our Marketing Manager, Katie Bregazzi, has completed her third year volunteering with the Derbyshire children’s charity, which gives more than 300 children aged between seven and ten a free residential holiday every summer.

Supported by hundreds of volunteers throughout the six-week school break, the camp gives children who need it the opportunity to enjoy a holiday, build confidence, make friends and create memories that will stay with them for years.

Katie spent a week at camp alongside around 40 fellow volunteers, supporting a group of 60 children through a packed programme of outdoor activities, games and adventures.

“It’s the most rewarding week of my year,” said Katie. “It’s exhausting, chaotic and emotional in equal measure, but seeing the confidence the children build and the friendships they make makes every step worthwhile.”

Helping Feed the Fun

This year, Katie is also helping to raise awareness of Derby Kids’ Camp’s Feed the Fun campaign, which aims to close the charity’s food funding gap.

Across the summer, volunteers will serve more than 9,000 home-cooked meals. Yet it costs just £6.80 to feed one child for an entire day.

“That figure really stayed with me,” Katie added. “For less than the price of a coffee and a sandwich, you can make sure a child is fed for a whole day while they’re making memories they’ll carry with them for years. Every donation, no matter how small, genuinely makes a difference.”

The campaign is a reminder that it’s not just the activities and experiences that make the camp special. Making sure every child has the food and support they need throughout their stay is just as important.

From the campsite to the glazing industry

After swapping her camp hoodie for a Jack Aluminium polo shirt, Katie was preparing to join colleagues at the Police Scotland Secured by Design Products Day, where the team would showcase our TD68 commercial aluminium door system, which has achieved STS202 BR2 security performance.

Katie said: “It’s been quite a turnaround, swapping a zipped tent door for our STS202 BR2 commercial door in the space of a week – but I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

At Jack Aluminium, we’re proud of the people behind the business and the things they get involved in outside it. Supporting the communities around us matters, and it’s great to see colleagues giving their time and energy to causes that make a real difference.