This is the information page for Contagious MAX South West for 2026. If you’d like some general information about what a Contagious MAX Conference is like then please click here.
Dates
MAX South West runs from the 3rd-9th of August 2026
Arrivals and Departures
Registration is from 3:00-4:00pm on the 3rd of August with our welcome meeting at 4:00pm. If you are going to be any later than this then please get in touch with Rob (his number will be emailed to parents).
On arrival, we will have a team stationed at the entrance to direct you where to park and where to register. Please speak to a member of the team if in doubt. Once the young person is registered there will be welcome activities (games and crafts) for the young people and they will meet their small group.
On the final day, please arrive between 11:30am-12noon. There will be a Response Meeting at 12noon, where parents are encouraged to come and hear about what the young people have been up to during the camp. There will then be a picnic lunch (provided for the young people but families, please bring your own). Departure is by 1:30pm.
accommodation
All bedding is provided, but it is a requirement to bring towels. Bathrooms are not en suite but are shared. Young people will be in rooms of between 1-6 beds. If sharing, they will be with their room share requests (where possible), of the same gender and similar age.
What to bring
One evening there will be a themed event where dressing up is encouraged. The theme is ‘a wise choice’. This could be a character who made a wise choice or any creative take on this.
- Clothing appropriate for a range of weather and activities including those suitable for running/activities
- Bible (We will be teaching from the New International Version)
- Pens (young people will be provided with their own teaching booklets for writing notes in)
- Swimwear
- Clothing suitable for water games (not white)
- Old clothing suitable for potentially being dyed (for colour wars (paint based games), you may want to bring a white t-shirt)
- Fancy dress costume for a party with the theme of the letter ‘W’
- Toiletries, sun cream, hat and sunglasses
- A water bottle
- Small light up alarm clock or watch (young people will not have their phones overnight, and will have a wakeup call half an hour prior to breakfast).
- Sports equipment, games, musical instruments for free time (please note these are brought at your own risk)
- Bank card for the tuck shop and bookstall
- A musical instrument if they have one and would like to take part in the band during sung worship.
- Tuck will be available each day, and the young people need to bring a card for tuck
- There will be a bookstall with a selection of books available to purchase.
PLEASE DO NOT include any snacks that contain nuts as we have others attending who have severe nut allergies.
Photographs and social media
We are hoping to take some general photos or videos during the week that may be used for publicity, uploaded on our website or shared on social media sites.
If you have particular concerns about social media, photographs or publicity, please inform us by emailing admin@contagious.org.uk.
Mobile Phone policy
Young people at Contagious MAX may bring their phones to Contagious and use them throughout the day during breaks. NO phones are to be used during teaching sessions unless as part of the activity or required. Phones should be switched off or on silent during teaching sessions and at other times all users should act responsibly to avoid distracting themselves and others from engaging with people and activities. If any attendee of Contagious uses their phone in an inappropriate or immoral way then we reserve the right as leaders to confiscate the phone and return it to them at the end of the Conference. Any illegal use of a phone will be reported.
At MAX, we will be taking phones from the young people at night. We will charge your phone for you so please consider labeling your charger! This will occur between 10:15-10:45, and their phones will be returned between 8-8:30 the next morning.
MEDICAL, Pastoral and Dietary Information
If you wish to update anything less than six weeks before the conference please email admin@contagious.org.uk. This is because we often pull the relevant information for each Conference from the booking website around six weeks before the conference, and by emailing us we can make sure that the necessary people are notified.
Expectations
When you booked onto Contagious, we asked you to agree to our terms and conditions. You can access them here. In particular, please note our expectations with regards to behaviour throughout the week.
Contacting us
You should have contact information from the parent communication email that you have been sent (this is usually about a month before the conference).
If you have any non-urgent enquiries that you can also contact Contagious at admin@contagious.org.uk. In an emergency or if you can’t find the phone numbers on your email you can call our safeguarding number on 07300 044 849 and we’ll get you the information that you need.
FAQs
What does a typical day look like?
We have a busy morning so every Conference has a filling breakfast with cooked and continental options. After breakfast is our SUS group time. This is time in small groups studying the Bible together. The rest of the morning is spent in two Seminars with a break in the middle. Seminars are interactive sessions where we dig deeper into God’s word together, they are usually where we get to see the big picture of what the whole sweep of God’s word has to say about a subject. We then have lunch and afterwards it is into afternoon activities. The activities are usually split into two (or three) slots and are a mix of all-together activities and options. We then have dinner together. In the evening we have our Big Teaches. These are meetings that include games, singing, interviews and the reading and preaching of God’s word. A day at Contagious MAX then ends with some after hours activities (including toast O’clock!) before lights out at 10.45pm.
How are young people kept safe at Contagious?
We are serious about keeping all children and young people safe at Contagious. If you would like to read our safeguarding policy then you can access that here.
How can I be praying for Contagious?
We would love it if you could be praying for us throughout the week! It is only through God’s word applied to the hearts of the young people through the Holy Spirit’s work that lives are changed. Please be praying for faithful teaching and for hearts opened to the good news of the gospel. For particular points for prayer check out our dedicated page.
What is being taught at Contagious this year?
At Contagious 2026 we are going to be looking at Proverbs: The way of Wisdom. Proverbs invites us to listen to the words of wisdom from a father to his son, written to encourage youth to grow in wisdom. This summer we want to see lives shaped and changed as we listen to God’s wisdom for all of life. Proverbs is both poetic and practical. It is not just a series of moral sayings but is a story that is filled with rich truths and points us forward to Christ.