Over The Wall
Over The Wall is a UK charity founded in 1999 that provides free, medically supported residential and virtual camps for children aged 8-17 with serious health conditions, their siblings, and families, operating from its permanent Ockbrook, Derby campus as part of the SeriousFun Children's Network.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1999
- HeadquartersOckbrook, Derby, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Over The Wall does
Over The Wall is a UK-registered charity (Charity Nos. 1075361 and SC043191, Company Limited by Guarantee No. 3713232) founded in 1999 by Joe Woods and Paul Newman to deliver free, medically supported residential and virtual camp experiences for children and young people aged 8-17 living with serious health conditions and disabilities, alongside their siblings and families. The charity operates as the UK member of the SeriousFun Children's Network, a global movement founded by Paul Newman in 1988, and applies a proprietary Therapeutic Recreation methodology supported by on-site clinical teams of volunteer doctors, nurses, and paramedics who provide 24/7 medical coverage. Its product portfolio comprises multiple residential camp variants (Health Challenge, Siblings, Family, Home Educated, Returner, and condition-specific Partnership camps with Anthony Nolan and DRWF) at its new permanent 17-acre Ockbrook, Derby campus and at PGL Dalguise in Scotland, plus a virtual Camp in the Cloud delivered via Zoom with resource boxes mailed to homes.
All services are offered free of charge to families; the charity is funded through individual donations, the Over The Wall Weekly Lottery, corporate partnerships, challenge-event fundraising (Robin Hood, Loch Ness, Royal Parks half marathons, Climb the Capital), legacies and gift-in-wills, in-memory donations, and major grants including a £4.5 million package from Omaze and support from the National Lottery Heritage Fund. Following 25 years of operating from rented venues and reaching a self-identified ceiling of approximately 1,000 campers in 2019, the charity signed a 40-year lease on the former Ockbrook School site in 2024 and opened the transformed campus in July 2026, materially expanding capacity and enabling condition-specific partnership programmes. Operations are led by Chief Executive Kevin Mathieson under an Ofsted Outstanding rating and Fundraising Regulator membership, with active marketing through healthcare professional referrals, partnership charity websites, social media, and BBC Radio 4 broadcast appeals fronted by ambassador David Gandy.
Over The Wall firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Over The Wall
- Legal name
- Over The Wall
- Website
- https://otw.org.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1999
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Over The Wall is a UK charity founded in 1999 that provides free, medically supported residential and virtual camps for children aged 8-17 with serious health conditions, their siblings, and families, operating from its permanent Ockbrook, Derby campus as part of the SeriousFun Children's Network.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Over The Wall industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Children's Charity Services
- NAICS
- RV (Recreational Vehicle) Parks and Recreational Camps (72121), Recreational and Vacation Camps (except Campgrounds) (721214)
- SIC
- Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Youth Multi-Sport Camps (General Athletics, Summer Camps) (MPAKAJAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Family & Recreation Campgrounds (Amenities/Activities Focus) (THAMAJAJ), Life Skills & SEL Camps (Confidence, Executive Function, Social Skills) (EDAMALAO)
Keywords
Where Over The Wall is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Ockbrook, Derby
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices3 records
Markets served
Over The Wall business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Individual Donations: Direct donations from individuals supporting the charity's mission to provide free camps for children with health challenges.
- Corporate Partnerships: Strategic corporate partnerships including Omaze which provided £1 million guaranteed funding plus £3.5 million grant for site development.
- Event Fundraising: Challenge events including Robin Hood Half Marathon, Loch Ness Marathon, Royal Parks Half Marathon, and Climb the Capital where participants raise sponsorship.
- Lottery: Over The Wall Weekly Lottery providing regular giving opportunity for supporters.
- Legacies and Wills: Gifts in wills and legacy donations from supporters who leave lasting contributions.
- Gift in Memory: Donations made in memory of loved ones, often former campers.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels7 records
Over The Wall product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Over The Wall provides free, medically supported residential activity camps for children and young people aged 8-17 living with serious health conditions, along with dedicated camps for their siblings and families. It also delivers a free virtual "Camp in the Cloud" experience via Zoom, with a clinical team of nurses, doctors, and paramedics on site at residential camps and a Therapeutic Recreation methodology inherited from the SeriousFun Children's Network. All camps, including accommodation, meals, activities, transport, and medical care, are provided at no cost to families.
Product overview
Over The Wall Camp is a UK children's charity offering a portfolio of free residential and virtual camp experiences for children and young people with health challenges, their siblings, and families. The core offerings include Residential Camp (with Health Challenge, Siblings, Family, Home Educated, Returner, and Partnership variants) and Camp in the Cloud (virtual camp-at-home). All camps provide inclusive activities, medical support, and transformational experiences aimed at building confidence and reducing isolation. The charity operates from its new permanent home at Ockbrook, Derby, and also runs camps in Scotland.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Camp in the Cloud: A free virtual camp-at-home experience providing a secure online platform for campers (aged 6-17) and their families to participate in activities from their own home.
Products and services
- Residential Camp Free residential camps for children and young people with health challenges (aged 8-17), their siblings, and families, running from April to October at locations in Derbyshire and Perthshire. The camps include inclusive activities such as archery, climbing, STEM, arts and crafts, and games, with medical care provided by an on-site clinical team of nurses, doctors, and paramedics.
- Camp in the Cloud Free virtual camp-at-home experience delivered live via Zoom for families with children and young people (aged 6-17) with health challenges. Includes a box of resources delivered to homes and live interactive sessions where families participate in games, activities, and connect with other families. Accessible globally.
- Health Challenge Camp Four-night residential camp for children and young people aged 8-17 with a health condition. Campers enjoy activities in age-appropriate teams with full medical support on site 24/7.
- Siblings Camp Four-night residential camp for siblings aged 8-17 of children with health challenges. Provides opportunities for siblings to connect with others in similar situations while enjoying camp activities.
- Family Camp Two-night residential camp for the whole family unit of a child with a health challenge. Features a mixture of high and low intensity activities for all family members to enjoy together.
- Home Educated Camp Combined Health Challenge and Siblings Camp specifically designed for campers aged 8-17 who are home educated and meet Over The Wall Camp eligibility criteria.
- Returner Camps Special weekend camps for young people who have attended Over The Wall Camp before, offering opportunities to reconnect with friends, revisit favourite activities, and continue building confidence.
- Anthony Nolan Family Camp Family weekend camp partnership with Anthony Nolan designed for families affected by stem cell transplants, blood disorders, CAR-T therapy, blood cancer, sickle cell, thalassaemia, or organ transplants.
- DRWF Family Camp Family weekend camp partnership with Diabetes Research & Wellness Foundation for families living with type 1 diabetes. Includes relaxed parent/carer learning opportunities and supportive discussions.
- DRWF Camp in the Cloud One-day virtual camp delivered via Zoom designed especially for families on a type 1 diabetes journey. Includes resource pack delivery and live interactive sessions.
Quantifiable outcome
- 9 in 10 campers say they feel less isolated after camp
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Over The Wall
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Over The Wall technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
Over The Wall partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.
- David GandymajorInternationally renowned model, entrepreneur and fashion designer serving as official ambassador. Previously supported the Omaze partnership and features in BBC Radio 4 Appeal.
- SeriousFun Children's NetworkcoreGlobal network of camps for seriously ill children founded by Paul Newman. Over The Wall is the UK member, enabling access to proven methodologies, global camp community, and shared best practices.
- Anthony NolanmajorPartnership providing dedicated Family Camp weekends for families affected by stem cell transplants, blood cancers, blood disorders, and organ transplants. Anthony Nolan also provides travel funding for families.
- Diabetes Research & Wellness Foundation (DRWF)majorPartnership providing dedicated Family Camp weekends and virtual Camp in the Cloud experiences for families living with type 1 diabetes. DRWF funds the programme and provides expertise on diabetes care.
- Anaphylaxis UKminorParent support group through which families learn about Over The Wall Camp opportunities. OTW camps are nut-free sites accommodating children with severe allergies.
- PGL DalguiseminorVenue provider for Scotland-based residential camps in Perthshire.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights7 records
Over The Wall competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Victory Junction: US SeriousFun-affiliated camp serving children with serious medical conditions. Free residential camp experiences with 24/7 medical support, directly comparable in service model and target population.
- Double H Ranch: SeriousFun Children's Network camp in New York co-founded by Paul Newman. Offers free residential programs for children with serious illnesses, paralleling Over The Wall's UK operations in mission, methodology, and clinical volunteer model.
- Camp Sunshine: US-based retreat for children with life-threatening illnesses and their families. Operates year-round residential programs with on-site medical support — directly comparable free medically-supported family camp model.
- Camp Quality UK: UK subsidiary of international Camp Quality, providing free residential camps and ongoing support programs for children with serious illnesses and their families. Most direct UK-based peer in service offering.
- Barretstown: SeriousFun Children's Network member camp in Ireland serving children with serious illnesses. Operates free residential therapeutic recreation camps with on-site medical teams — same model, methodology, and global network as Over The Wall.
- Hole in the Wall Gang Camp: The original SeriousFun Children's Network camp founded by Paul Newman in Connecticut in 1988. Provides free residential camp experiences for children with serious illnesses, sharing the same therapeutic recreation methodology and clinical-support model.
Emerging players
- Dreams Come True: UK charity fulfilling dreams and wishes for children with serious and terminal illnesses. Overlaps in target beneficiary population and UK children's health charity fundraising market.
- Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust: UK charity running free sailing and water sports trips for young people aged 8-24 recovering from cancer. Comparable target audience (children with serious health conditions) and free residential experience model, though narrower activity scope (water sports only).
- Make-A-Wish UK: UK children's charity granting wishes to children with critical illnesses. Operates in adjacent mission space (children with serious health conditions), sharing referral pipelines and donor base, though delivers experiences rather than camp programming.
Regional players
- CHAS (Children's Hospices Across Scotland): Scottish charity providing hospice and palliative care services for children with life-shortening conditions. Overlaps in mission (seriously ill children) and UK geography, but delivers clinical/residential care rather than activity-based camp programming.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Over The Wall social profiles
Digital presenceOver The Wall compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Over The Wall financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Over The Wall leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Over The Wall funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Over The Wall M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Over The Wall
What does Over The Wall do?
Over The Wall provides free, medically supported residential activity camps for children and young people aged 8-17 living with serious health conditions, along with dedicated camps for their siblings and families. It also delivers a free virtual "Camp in the Cloud" experience via Zoom, with a clinical team of nurses, doctors, and paramedics on site at residential camps and a Therapeutic Recreation methodology inherited from the SeriousFun Children's Network. All camps, including accommodation, meals, activities, transport, and medical care, are provided at no cost to families.
Is Over The Wall a public or private company?
Over The Wall is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Over The Wall founded?
Over The Wall was founded in 1999. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Over The Wall based?
Over The Wall is headquartered in Ockbrook, Derby, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Over The Wall make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. Individual Donations are the primary driver. The others are corporate Partnerships, event Fundraising, lottery, legacies and Wills and gift in Memory.
Who are Over The Wall's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Victory Junction, Double H Ranch, Camp Sunshine, Camp Quality UK, Barretstown and Hole in the Wall Gang Camp. Emerging players are Dreams Come True, Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust and Make-A-Wish UK. CHAS (Children's Hospices Across Scotland) is listed as a regional player.
Does Over The Wall have an API?
No public API is recorded for Over The Wall.
What industry is Over The Wall in?
Over The Wall's product category is Children's Charity Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAKAJAA, Youth Multi-Sport Camps (General Athletics, Summer Camps), with a secondary code of THAMAJAJ, Family & Recreation Campgrounds (Amenities/Activities Focus). Its NAICS code is 72121 and its SIC code is 7000.