Vital Link No 73 Winter 2018 | страница 3

‘Holiday in a Heat Wave’ –Treloar’s 2018 By Margaret Bale, Holiday Co-Ordinator The prayer is usually for good weather and no rain on DCF holidays. But coming at the end of a month of unbroken sunshine and unprecedented heat, we were emailing people at the last minute to say “please bring an electric fan if you have one”! It was a good problem to have though, and our fifth holiday at Treloar’s made excellent use of the outdoors. This year the new activity was canoeing, and I have to confess to some nervousness when completing the risk assessment as I could not imagine how this would work for many of our guests. But I need not have worried: two canoes rafted together with strong wooden bars for stability ensured that no-one fell in and everyone enjoyed paddling down the river in the beautiful Hampshire countryside. Meanwhile, another group had a great session of archery, so everyone was satisfied. Other activities included bowling, the ever-popular swimming, pub lunch, and a visit to Bird World which included an ‘Animal Encounter’ with lots of Creatures great and small at the animal encounter Accessible fun on the river Book now to join us next year! furry creatures. It was good to see new youngsters on this year’s holiday, and to watch them develop in confidence and maturity. There was plenty of opportunity for spiritual growth, with the ‘Jen Slot’ each afternoon and a worship meeting each evening. One young guest said “I feel I have grown spiritually this week” and “the holiday was a great chance to learn more about God the easy way”. Although Treloar’s is an activity holiday, the programme is carefully designed to combine excitement with relaxation so that all needs are met. As one regular guest said: “this holiday remains a highlight of my year... it really did do me the world of good – thank you so much”. The dates for next year’s holiday are all listed later in the newsletter - if you would like to come do get in touch. Bookings are now being taken. A Week of Refreshment in 2019 Brunel Manor near Torquay is a lovely Manor House, built for renowned engineer, Isambard Kingdom Brunel, in the lovely countryside surrounding the bay at Babbacombe. This Christian Conference centre is totally adapted for those with a disability, and we have used the facilities many times over the years for holidays and retreats. The Refreshment week is a relaxing week where time is given for God to speak to us, and for us to enjoy each other’s company, learn from one another, pray together and laugh together. All afternoons are free time for resting or exploring the nearby attractions of Devon. The retreat starts on Monday 15th April in the afternoon and finishes Friday 19th am. Jenny Edwards and Ros Bayes will lead us in exploring God’s love, grace and mercy, spending time sharing and praying together. It’s a lovely week of fun, fellowship and laughter, and we would love you to join us. Please contact the office on 01372 749955 for further information and pricing. We’re looking forward to seeing you there! www.throughtheroof.org