Basecamp 2026 was a truly special weekend — and a milestone moment for Thrive.
This year marked a decade since the event began. At that first gathering, we hired two accommodation lodges and were joined by ten churches. Fast forward to today, and Basecamp has grown into something remarkable. This year 250 people attended, including 44 youth leaders, representing 20 churches from across Warwickshire and Coventry. We filled the entire centre, using all seven lodges — a wonderful picture of how God has grown this ministry over the years.
Basecamp continues to be a celebration of what God is doing through local churches week in and week out. It’s a chance to bring young people and leaders together for a weekend of fun, friendship, and encountering God together.
The theme for the weekend drew from the book of Daniel, with our three main sessions focusing on Believe, Be Beautiful (for the Lord) and Be Bold. Throughout the weekend, we saw these themes come to life in powerful ways.
Believe
One of the greatest joys of the weekend was seeing young people deeply engage with the main sessions. After meetings, small groups could be seen gathered in huddles — talking, reading Scripture, and praying together.
One youth leader brought several young people who, at the start of the weekend, would not have described themselves as followers of Jesus and had no intention of joining in worship. By the end of the weekend, they had downloaded the songs and were singing them on the bus home.
Back in their local areas, a number of young people are now exploring church more intentionally, with several signing up for Youth Alpha.
As one leader reflected:
“There’s such a great balance between faith input and activities. We brought some non-Christians, and it was an environment that worked for them as well as those who already know Jesus. A great balance for all.”
Be Beautiful (for the Lord)
There were so many moments of joy and unity across the weekend. The silent disco was a particular highlight — a space where it felt impossible to tell which church anyone belonged to, a wonderful expression of the one body of Christ.
We were also grateful for the weather. While rain fell during indoor sessions, the outdoor activities were only lightly dampened — a timely reminder of God’s kindness in the details.
Late-night worship was especially powerful. Seeing so many young people resting in God’s presence was deeply moving. One leader shared:
“At the start of the weekend one of our young people said, ‘There’s a song called Praise that will get stuck in your head.’ Others insisted they wouldn’t be singing Jesus songs — but by halfway through the weekend, ‘O my soul’ and ‘Praise the Lord’ were being whispered everywhere. It reminded me of Jesus saying that if people kept silent, the rocks would cry out.”
Another youth worker said:
“We all — leaders included — had a great time. The games and activities were fantastic, but the sessions and seminars were also relatable and communicated the message brilliantly. We had some great conversations with our young people and could really see God at work.”
Leaders also valued the way the weekend was run:
“So much planning, prayer, and careful thought went into making it special and fun for the youth — and so well organised that it was brilliant for us leaders too. We could focus on relationships rather than logistics.”
Be Bold
Boldness was evident throughout the weekend, particularly among Thrive’s Youth Growing Leaders, past and present. These young leaders hosted meetings, led games, delivered seminars, led worship and spoke God’s word with confidence and faith.
Many youth leaders returned home encouraged by the depth of conversations they’d had with their young people and by their renewed hunger to follow Jesus.
Some young people also experienced the Holy Spirit in a new way. One parent later shared:
“We feel this weekend has been a real turning point in our daughter’s journey of faith. She experienced the Holy Spirit in a way she never has before.”
Looking Ahead
We are so thankful for all that God did at Basecamp 2026 — for the young people impacted, the leaders encouraged, and the unity built across our churches.
Please continue to pray that what began at Basecamp will continue to grow in local churches across our region in the weeks and months ahead.