Summer holidays lift the spirits; there is time to relax, explore new places and meet with friends. It can also be a time of spiritual renewal, as we now have more time to pray. Ideally, the two things can be put together. And what better way to do that than at parish camp? In July, a group of young people from Bootle did just that, as they joined the parish summer camp organised by St James', Bootle.

Each day of the camp was different but had a common start. We would always start with a moment of prayer led by Br Nhan and Br Reuben. The Salesian Brothers led the reflection and invited us to raise our minds and hearts to God. This was followed by a catechism session from Fr Jacob. We spent some time reflecting about questions such us: Why did God make us? How can we serve Him? How can we show our love for neighbour? Catechism finished, we headed to the church to assist at the parish Mass.

The Eucharist was without a doubt the most important part of each day. It was an opportunity to meet with Our Lord in a moment of quiet and prayer and to unite with Him. Don Bosco used to say: "If you want many graces, pay many visits to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament; if you want few graces, pay him few." Our daily visits during Mass were certainly rewarded because what followed was a time of joy, friendship and great happiness felt by all.

After Mass there was a trip to a different place each day. One day we went to Southport and began with a with a few games of ten pin bowling. It's true, you don't need rippling muscles, or to run fast, or to be able to do a handstand to enjoy bowling, but it's very exciting, nevertheless. Before long, a new talent was uncovered—Br Reuben beat everyone by fifty points! This was followed by a game of laser tag, and this time the young people were definitely at an advantage. After thirty minutes of jumping, moving and ducking, it was clear that they were unbeatable, and the team of staff had no chance. We all had a great time, and it was a great bonding experience.

After the games we headed to Nandos for lunch. This is a South African chain that specialises in Portuguese flame-grilled chicken. The food can be very spicy, but most of us went for a mild option. There was a great atmosphere. We were still talking about Br Reuben's bowling achievements when our chicken arrived. Great time, lots of laughter, and a great way to end the day.

The following day we headed to Speke, an area in the far south of Liverpool. This is the home of Ninja Warrior UK Adventure Park, as seen on the popular ITV show 'Ninja Warrior UK'. The young people spent the whole afternoon exploring the inflatable assault course and tackling the huge selection of obstacles and challenges. The course has various levels of difficulty, so everyone found something that helped them master their inner Ninja. We finished the day with a meal, full of excitement and grateful for the time spent together.

The final day of our camp had something very unique to offer—a virtual reality (VR) experience. This involves wearing a headset that allows you to see and experience different places as if you were there. While a variety of rides were available, our personal favourite was the rollercoaster simulator. This brought us virtually 400ft above the beautiful Liverpool city centre. The experience was very believable and immersive. People held tight to the moving chairs, while taking in the views before plummeting down vertical drops, loops and corkscrews. A unique experience, indeed! Other rides

included Star Wars, diving under the ocean and a ghost train. A lot of fun! We finished the day with a meal from McDonalds; the camp was now complete.

We are very grateful to all those who supported us and made it possible to run all the activities we had planned. In particular, we want to thank the Salesian Youth Ministry Office. We would also like to extend our thanks to the Salesian Academy of St John Bosco and the Parish of St James'. Thank you also to our local Youth Active Team for their presence and support throughout the camp and of course to our Salesian Brothers—Nhan and Reuben. Our young people had a fabulous time, and it wouldn't be possible without you. May God bless you!

Images from Fr Jakub Ruszniak SDB