About us

🌿 A Brief History of East Kent District Association (EKDA)

The East Kent District Association (EKDA) is one of the most established branches of The Camping and Caravanning Club, with a proud legacy dating back over 90 years.

🏕️ Founding Years (1931–1952)

EKDA was founded in 1931, 17 years before the South Eastern Region of the Club was formed. Alongside London DA and West Kent DA, EKDA helped launch regional social camping opportunities in the post-war era. It was a time when camping offered both freedom and community, and East Kent rose to meet that need.

🔄 A Temporary Merger (1952–1953)

In 1952, EKDA briefly merged with East Sussex DA to form the East Kent & Sussex DA. By 1953, East Sussex became independent, and EKDA resumed its focus on serving campers across East Kent—from coastal towns to rolling countryside.

🚐 Growth and Community

EKDA has always been a volunteer-led organisation, offering:

  • Weekend Meets – relaxed camping from Friday to Sunday
  • Temporary Holiday Sites – longer stays at scenic local venues
  • Themed Events – including Halloween, Easter, and New Year celebrations

At its heart, EKDA is about social camping: informal, affordable, and open to all CCC members.

🌐 Moving With the Times

EKDA continues to evolve with its members. Recent changes include:

🎉 Celebrating Over 90 Years

From our humble beginnings in 1931 to today’s thriving calendar of events, EKDA has helped thousands of campers create lasting memories. Whether it’s your first rally or your 50th, we welcome you to join the EKDA family.

📣 Ready to join us? View our upcoming meets and be part of our living history!

🕰️ EKDA Through the Years

  • 1931: EKDA is founded as part of the South Eastern Region of the Camping and Caravanning Club.
  • 1952: Temporary merger with East Sussex to form East Kent & Sussex DA.
  • 1953: EKDA becomes independent again after East Sussex forms its own DA.
  • 1960s–70s: Growth of themed meets, social evenings, and countryside events.
  • 1980s: Committee structure expands; site stewardship formalised.
  • 2000 - 2025:
  • - Newsletter production and digital transition begins.
  • - Facebook group launched to improve member communication.
  • - Online booking system introduced at eastkentda.com.
  • - Record attendance at summer and seasonal meets.
  • - Committee roles updated to include Webmaster and Countryside Care.
  • - EKDA celebrates over 75 years of community camping.

Not a member? Join the club today...

Join The Camping and Caravanning Club today to benefit from over 100 years of expertise as well as specially selected discounts tailored to our members. As soon as you are a member you will be assigned to a District Association (DA). This will be the closest DA to where you live and shown on your membership card. You are then free to go camping with any of the 93 DA's over 13 Regions in the UK.

​We hope to see you in a field soon...

Join from only £53 a year!