BACK                                                     HOME                                                               A HOLIDAY BY THE SEASIDE             ONE DAY'S ROUTINE AT THE LARGS BAY CAMP    1951-1952                                                                                                    Glorious sunshine, an ideal layout and a co-operative gathering of employees and their families meshed into a Christmas vacation that will leave happy and lasting memories of the 1951-52 Largs Camp.  Based on experiences of this year, which take our camp one step nearer to the pinnacle of perfection. It is an outstanding achievement in industrial relations, brought about by close co-operation of employees and management, of which both are justly proud. For the enlightenment of the readers, let us take at random one of the 21 days, and in a general way follow one day's routine of camp life... Before dawn the men whose turn it is to do the chores of the camp (such as hosing and cleaning out the ablution and lavatory blocks and recreation halls and generally cleaning up the camp and arranging the garbage cans for collection) have probably stirred the early bird into wakefulness. By this time the rising dawn is casting long shadows as the sun rises above the horizon to greet the sea gulls who are scouring the lawns for a "tit-bit" or to give warmth to the stalwarts who stroll to the beach for their early morning dip in the briny.  By the time these stalwarts return there are signs of activity in the camp.  Some are strolling to the ablution blocks where hot and old showers await their arrival--others are making for the boiling of coppers to brew the family's cuppa or coffee to act as a waker-upper for the family. As the camp is divided into two sittings for breakfast, there is more activity in the section that is first in. Mum is relieved of her cooking and washing-up worries, so she concentrates on making up the supplied camp cots, after which dad hoses out the concrete or bituminised tent floor-way to the mess hall and breakfast. Then it is a case of deciding what to do for the day.  For the rest of the day, payment for meals in camp is optional, so it may be a trip in the family car, an organised tour to one of the many beauty spots, a day on the beach, or a day in the camp.  If it is the latter, the children make for the "rec" hut for a game of badminton or cricket or a kick of the footy or some other game amongst themselves while mum and dad may go to the laundry block to run a few clothes through the many facilities.  After a restful day some organised entertainment is provided for the evening to bring to a close an enjoyable day which is usually topped of with a bite of supper. That may well be a typical day, in a setting where you may make your own fun apart from the listed attractions. The mess hall is equipped with the most modern of appliances for catering, which has up to the present time been contracted to caterers with varying success.  The mess hall itself leaves nothing to be desired, having an abundance of cutlery and other necessary equipment of a modern cafeteria. Although organised and conducted by the ZC-NBHC Picnic Committee, the daily running of the camp is undertaken by a camp committee who work in conjunction with the Picnic Committee to see that every possible service is made available. With the nominal rental of five shillings per week per tent, the cheap cost makes possible a holiday to the seaside which would normally be difficult for the family man with children under existing holiday-time housing shortages. The turfed areas formed an ideal playground for the kiddies and they can almost be relied upon to make their own fun. And so it goes on, from day to day, with each party choosing its own entertainment, or taking advantage of the fun that has been organised in the camp. So much for the usual routine.  It is interesting, however to delve into the other services which are conducted CONTINUE NEXT PAGE: