Following recent reports in the press that Richard Dawkins’ foundation has donated to a five-day secular children's camp, Youth for Christ says it is seeing many exciting things happen at its own fun activity weekend.

Dawkins said that the aim of Camp Quest was to “encourage children to think for themselves, skeptically and rationally”.

YFC said youth leaders bringing groups of young people to its evangelistic camp Fort Rocky have commented on the positive effect it has had on their young people.

Christine Smith from Leicester is a youth leader who regularly comes to Fort Rocky with a group of over 30 young people. Many are not Christians and do not attend church but Ms Smith said parents were aware that the weekend was a Christian one where their children would hear a Christian message.

"No one has ever said they didn’t want their children to go because of that,” she said.

In the 2008 to 2009 season around 1,500 young people attended the weekends. Each weekend includes a Gospel talk and young people are given the opportunity to respond to the life-changing message of Jesus. The Good News of Jesus is presented in a relevant way and a recent weekend saw over 100 respond, some by becoming a Christian, others wanting to know more or thinking about the message and asking questions.

Rather than brainwashing or discouraging thought, young people hear what Christians believe and are also encouraged to think about relevant issues such as poverty and injustice. This year, they are learning about “Turn on the tap” – a project run by Samaritan’s purse which aims to give clean and healthy water to families in Africa. The young people are then given the chance to make a difference in the world by giving towards the project.

Fort Rocky has a “massive impact on the young people who come”, said Ms Smith.

One young boy who came from a broken home said openly at Fort Rocky that he wanted to lose his anger and be like the Christian young people he had met on the weekend.

“Many come from broken homes and situations where things like alcohol really affect their families so the best part of Fort Rocky for me is seeing the kids getting on so well together and enjoying themselves, Christian and non-Christian kids.”.