Down Right Brilliant Camp Marks Decade of Changing Lives for Young People with Down Syndrome in South Down
The Down Right Brilliant summer camp in Ballyholland, near Newry in County Down, has celebrated its tenth anniversary of providing transformative social experiences for young people with Down syndrome, with this year's programme supporting 67 families from South Down and South Armagh and offering a packed schedule of activities that organisers say changes lives — not just for participants, but for their parents and siblings too.
Background
Down Right Brilliant was established a decade ago by a small group of parents and community volunteers who recognised a glaring gap in provision for young people with Down syndrome in the south Down area. While children with the condition were well supported within the school system, the social landscape outside school hours was far more limited. Cinemas, discos, sports clubs, and the informal social networks that most teenagers take for granted were largely inaccessible to young people with Down syndrome, leaving many isolated and their families without the respite that is essential to long-term wellbeing.
The charity operates out of the Ballyholland Community Centre, a modest but well-equipped facility that has become a second home for its members. Over the past decade, it has grown from a small pilot scheme serving a handful of families to a fully established organisation with a waiting list, a dedicated volunteer base, and a reputation that extends well beyond the immediate area. The annual summer camp is the centrepiece of its calendar, but the charity also runs a weekly Friday evening youth club that provides year-round social connection for its members.
The 2026 summer camp was divided into two distinct weeks — one for primary school-aged children and one for post-primary students — reflecting the organisation's understanding that the social needs of a seven-year-old and a seventeen-year-old with Down syndrome are very different, and that both deserve tailored, age-appropriate programming.
Key Developments
This year's camp featured an expanded programme that included soccer, basketball, hockey, arts and crafts, singing, and dancing, alongside special additions that included a fire engine visit, bouncy castles, and a pizza truck that proved enormously popular with participants. Youth club leader Emer Reilly, who has been with the organisation since its early years, described the atmosphere as "electric" throughout both weeks.
"When you see the confidence these young people develop over the course of a week, it's genuinely moving," Reilly said. "Some of them come in on Monday a little nervous, and by Friday they're performing on stage in front of their families. That transformation doesn't happen by accident — it happens because of the incredible volunteers who give their time and energy every single day."
The camp relies on approximately 20 core volunteers, many of them students pursuing careers in medicine, teaching, and social care who find the experience both personally rewarding and professionally formative. The organisation has previously been selected as a Mayor's Chosen Charity, and this year received additional funding from a combination of public grants and local business sponsorship that allowed it to expand its programme without increasing costs to families.
Why It Matters
The significance of Down Right Brilliant extends well beyond the activities on offer. For many of the 67 families it supports, the summer camp represents one of the few periods in the year when parents can take a genuine break, knowing their child is safe, happy, and in the company of peers who understand their experience. Carer burnout is a serious and underacknowledged issue in families supporting children with complex needs, and the respite provided by schemes like this one has measurable benefits for family wellbeing and stability.
This is the third time in two years that the organisation has had to turn families away due to oversubscription, a fact that underlines both its success and the continuing unmet need in the region. Unlike the statutory provision available through the Education Authority — which faced a near-cancellation crisis in March 2026 before a last-minute intervention secured nursing support — Down Right Brilliant operates independently, giving it the flexibility to respond quickly to the needs of its members without being subject to the bureaucratic constraints that can slow statutory bodies.
Local Impact
The camp draws participants from across South Down and South Armagh, with families travelling from as far as Kilkeel, Rathfriland, and Crossmaglen to attend. For many rural families, the journey to Ballyholland is a significant undertaking, but one they make willingly because the alternative — a summer without structured social activity for their child — is simply not acceptable. The Newry, Mourne and Down District Council has been a consistent supporter of the organisation, and local businesses in the Newry area have contributed sponsorship that has helped keep participation costs low.
What's Next
Down Right Brilliant is currently in discussions with funders about expanding its weekly youth club provision to include a second evening session, which would allow it to accommodate more members and reduce the waiting list. The organisation is also exploring the possibility of a winter residential weekend for older members, building on the success of the summer camp model. Families wishing to register interest for the 2027 summer camp are encouraged to contact the Ballyholland Community Centre directly, as places are expected to fill quickly.
