The first camps to be held at Benllech Bay were the Pioneer Camps for boys, which were commenced by David Tryon in 1945 who was the boy’s secretary for the South Africa General Mission and also the founding minister at Stamford Free Church. David ran the camps successfully for 41 years from his base in Stamford, and was very much loved for his for sense of humour, his wonderful ability to communicate which inspired and influenced a several generations for God. The camps reached their peak in the 1950’s when, for several years, there were three two-week camps with over 200 boys and staff. Boys returned year after year to the fields at Anglesey and many still return today to visit or play a part in our staff team. Sadly due to ill health David (“DT” as he was known) retired after the summer of 1986 and went to be with His Lord in 1991. He is remembered with great fondness by all who knew him and whom were privileged to work with him.

In 1987 David Bayley (DT’s right hand man for many years) took on the work at Benllech with his wife Diana, and updated the name to “Benllech Holidays” in order to attract a wider younger age range. They also started allowing girls to attend for the first time whilst reducing the age range slightly. This was a great success and the camps started to grow again enjoying numbers of 180 + at the two 10 day camps. The camps enjoyed great popularity once more and a new generation of campers were born. David and Di modernised the camp whilst keeping the original feel of things. In the summer of 2005 they both felt that it was time to hand over to the younger generation. Their enthusiasm, hard work and commitment will be long remembered but more importantly their friendship and love. Sadly David passed away very suddenly in early 2007. Over 400 people attended his funeral in Tytherington, many of them present and former campers whom over the years had either served with David or become Christians through his and Diana's ministry. He is very much missed by us all.


After the retirement of David & Di, the staff recognised the call of God upon Simon & Julia Lawton, and so in the autumn of 2005 they took over the planning for their first camp in 2006. Simon was the founding minister of the New Life Community Church in Crewe and since 2008 has been the senior minister at the Elim Pentecostal Church in Newcastle upon Tyne (www.yourchurch.info). He had been a camper for many years under both David Tryon and David Bayley and was passionate about the camps continuing. Ably supported by a fantastic staff team they successfully held their first camp in 2006. The camps have been reduced to two one-week camps (to help staff with holiday leave) but are still proving to be as popular as ever.

65 years after the first camps were held on the same fields at Benllech they continue to flourish. I guess the rest of the story will one day be written……