What is Stores?
It is where we keep all our equipment. We send out around twenty tonnes of equipment every year and we unpack, inspect, repair and repack at our site in Haddenham, near Ely, Cambridgeshire. Stores depend on volunteers just like the rest of FSC, even if it is only for one weekend a year. These work weekends are also an opportunity to learn new skills and to partake in the all-singing, all-dancing fun that is FSC.
There is no charge and reasonable travel expenses can be paid. Escort is usually arranged from London Kings Cross every month, and there are regular attendees traveling from all around the country who may be able to offer lifts or arrange a pick up from Ely station.
You don’t even need to be FSC staff, although we do require DBS checks (we can get this started on the weekend). 16-17 year-old pathfinders need the written consent of their parent or guardian in order to attend. The appropriate form is available here, or drag them along as well!. Children aged 15 and under must be accompanied by a parent/ guardian, for the duration, as these work weekends are not staffed ‘camps’.
Four additional weekends a year are given over to maintaining our buildings, grounds and our lovely woodland at Fenwood, rather than the stuff you see in the field on camp.
Redeveloping the Stores buildings
The buildings we store our equipment in have come to the end of their useful life, and we are replacing them with new buildings which will serve us for the next 50 years. We’re fundraising to help pay for the new buildings, and would welcome any contribution you can make view the Support Us page or as a donation when applying for your child to camp. You can find out more about the project on the Stores Redevelopment page
Weekends in 2024
- 12-14 January
- 9-11 February
- 8-10 March
- 10-12 May
- 7-9 June
- 12-14 July
- 6-8 September
- 11-13 October
- 8-10 November
- 6-8 December
We ask that all volunteers contact the hostess prior to the weekend on hostess@fsc.org.uk or sign up using the link circulated before the weekend on Facebook, WhatsApp and all-staff emails.
How long do they last?
Stores weekends run from Friday night to mid afternoon on Sunday or Monday (if it’s a bank holiday). Supper is normally available on Friday night and this is a good sociable time. The work begins in earnest on Saturday morning.
How do I get there?
A coach usually travels up from London, and there are regular attendees traveling from all around the country who may be able to offer lifts. We can also arrange to get you picked up from Ely station. To find out more, email hostess@fsc.org.uk
Do I need to bring my own kit?
Some of it – we advise bringing your own sleeping bag and tent. Eating kit is provided and there are plenty of sleeping mats, extra sleeping bags, blankets and hot water bottles available.
Who can tell me more?
For further information regarding the Stores weekends, please contact the FSC Stores Conveners at stores@fsc.org.uk
What is Fenwood?
In 2005, FSC purchased an 8.5 acre field as an extension to its existing 1.5 acre Stores Centre at Haddenham. The site was named Fenwood and, in 2006, dozens of volunteers planted the bare field with several thousand trees. The site has become an important wildlife refuge in an otherwise quite barren farming landscape. The created woodland hosted its first children’s camp in April 2019 and it is used throughout the year by staff attending work weekends. The stores site and its adjoining woodland have 4 dedicated weekends each year during which our members manage the trees and fences and maintain the buildings.
Help is always needed to ensure that the woodland matures into a valuable resource for FSC to camp and train in.