January: Year in Review
Camp Château Newsletter
January 1st, 2023
Hello Campers, Founding Members and the Château Curious,
Is it just us, or did 2022 fly by? What an amazing first year this has been here at Camp Château. We formed the company on March 31st, 2022 and were handed the enormous ancient key to Château de Béduer on April 1st and it has been a whirlwind since then! Here are some favorite highlights from 2022 from our three co-founders:
From Philippa Girling (CEO and Co-Founder)
In July, 2022 I made the decision to step away from my 25 year financial services career and to take on the CEO role at Camp Château full time and I am loving every minute of it! I have so enjoyed meeting all of you and hearing everyone’s hopes and dreams for camp. It is a privilege to be working every day to make the reality of Camp Château as wonderful as we are all imagining.
In 2022, I had a lot of administrative work to get done and I have onboarded accountants, tax advisers, lawyers and architects to make sure we have everything in place for next summer to meet French business regulations and requirements. Being a lawyer and a Chief Risk Officer in my prior life has really helped me to stay calm in the face of complex bureaucracy and form filling! Who knew those skills could translate to such an enjoyable venture?
I also spent some (much more fun) time this year meeting with the local viticulture co-operative to talk about how we can plant a vineyard on our largest hillside. Those meetings were definitely the toughest test for my emerging french skills. What we learned was that step one is to plant barley (l’orge) next autumn to ready the soil for the root stock. So that is what we will do and ‘Vin Château de Béduer’ is in our future!
In 2022, I really enjoyed getting to know (and love) our neighbors. We have forged a wonderful relationship with the local mayor and in the summer of 2022 the village of Béduer used the Château for a traditional children’s procession, a summer classical concert and a seminar on local history. (Did you know that the region is famous for the translation of the rosetta stone and so there are multiple events related to Egyptian hieroglyphics? - no? neither did we!).
I also spent 2022 building relationships with local artists and storekeepers so that we can involve them in our camp sessions and support the local economy in the Célé valley. We are looking forward to sharing their wonderful products with you in the summer.
But the biggest highlight for me this year by far, has been getting to know all of you, our Campers, our Founding Members and the Château Curious. Your enthusiasm and support has been energizing and growing our relationships and friendships has been so precious to me. I cannot wait to see you all in person next summer!
From Leah Lykins (Co-Founder)
This year at Camp Chateau, I have been focused on a number of key projects, including the design of our brand and the planning for our 2023 camp season.
One of the major challenges that we faced with the website was establishing the right personality for Camp Chateau. We wanted to create a fun and friendly brand that would appeal to campers from many walks of life and we worked closely with a team of designers to achieve this goal. We paid particular attention to ensuring that campers could easily find the information they needed and get excited about their upcoming camp experience.
In terms of planning for the 2023 camp season, we have been working hard to come up with a range of engaging and rejuvenating details and activities. We are committed to providing an experience for our campers that will stay with them for years to come. Overall, it has been a busy and rewarding year at Camp Chateau, and I am excited to see what the future holds.
From Lynda Coleman (Co-Founder)
My initial visit to the château last year was so surreal, it truly felt like walking into another world. Entering the gates got me a bit choked up, as I’d only seen pictures and couldn’t believe the impact that actually being there had. It’s like a French fairy-tale oasis of lush grounds and stately structures that will simply transport you. I can’t wait to see and hear all of your reactions to our little bit of picturesque bliss.
I am so looking forward to our first camp season and all of the fabulous activities we have in store for you. We will have varied levels of activity for each camper to explore and enjoy, from the physical to the relaxing, there will be something for everyone. I can’t wait to try the ropes courses, do some wine tasting and explore the area markets, but most especially am anticipating the stargazing.
I am a bit of a Francophile myself and love all things Parisian, but the laid back and tranquil feelings that this part of France inspire are quickly making it a favorite. We are so excited to start the decor process and marrying the old (and fabulous) with the modern homey/comforting vibe that will let you glimpse the past while totally being surrounded in a delightfully relaxing setting. Think charming French-country modern.
And finally some important thank you’s from all of us…..
A special thank you to our 58 Founding Members who joined the Camp Château founder team in 2022. Our Founding Members tell us that they are excited to invest in a women designed and owned company and that they are ready to invest in themselves. We are looking forward to seeing them every summer at camp and to forming new traditions and refining the camp experience together every year. (We do have room for more Founding Members if you would like to join us. Want to learn more?)
Thank you to our two wonderful full time staff members, Tegwen Evans (Camp Director) and Vincent Labarthe (Grounds Manager) - they are both amazing and we love them!
A special thank you to Sharon McGinty (Founding Member) and Jeff McEldowney (Ally and Friend) for volunteering to spend time at Château de Béduer in the summer of 2022 to make sure everything was safe and sound while we hired and onboarded our team. You rock!
Are you following us on social media? Please follow and like us using our social links below and help to spread the word and celebrate what we are building as a women owned, funded, designed and dedicated business.
If you are hoping to join us all at Camp next summer, remember, you only need to pay the 10% deposit now to hold a place for yourself or for your group of friends. We are all so excited to meet you!
Cordialement and bonne année!
Philippa Girling, Leah Lykins, Lynda Coleman (Co-Founders)
