Our History and Heritage

Wildlife cameraman, author and broadcaster Hamza Yassin became the Club’s 12th President in October 2023.

Hamza is a regular tent camper who also owns a campervan. On his appointment he said: “I’m really delighted to have been appointed President of The Camping and Caravanning Club and to follow in the footsteps of so many accomplished individuals. We share the same passion for inspiring people to actively enjoy – and help look after – the natural world. Camping puts us right on the doorstep of the countryside and gives us a unique gateway to exploring our incredible outdoor spaces.”

Our founder was Thomas Hiram Holding – the founder of modern camping. In 1853, he travelled across America with his parents as part of a wagon train and this fostered his lifelong love of camping. He was also a keen cyclist and published a book about a cycling and camping trip he took to Ireland. This led to the formation of the Association of Cycle Campers and ultimately to that first camping trip in Wantage.

Robert Falcon Scott was a naval officer before he began his polar exploration. He became President of the Club in 1909, a year before setting out to his fateful attempt to reach the South pole. Club lore says he took a Club flag on the journey. The team was caught in fearsome weather conditions on the return trip and never returned to base. Their bodies were buried under the tent and the location marked with a cairn of ice and snow.