AHOY THERE ! A HISTORIC LIFEBOAT HITS THE WAVES !
‘ THE WELLBEING CAMPUS ’ BRINGS POP-UP YOGA AND MEDITATION TO WIRRAL
IN BRIEF
AHOY THERE ! A HISTORIC LIFEBOAT HITS THE WAVES !
‘ THE WELLBEING CAMPUS ’ BRINGS POP-UP YOGA AND MEDITATION TO WIRRAL
PHOTO BY IAN G SMITH
A five and a half tonne historic lifeboat is set to attempt passage of the dangerous Menai Strait in both directions between 5th and 9th July and you could be on board !
The Charles Henry Ashley ( CHA ) was built in 1907 specifically as the Cemaes Bay lifeboat . It has no engine and relies on her sails along with heavy rowing to get her where she needs to be .
Currently cared for by the Cemaes Boat Club , the CHA , which was fully restored in 2009 , is somewhat of a local icon . The club is planning to sail her to Caernarvon with a number of volunteers grabbing an oar .
The boat , which is unique in the fact that she has 12 oars , not the 10 which was the RNLI standard when she was built , is being rowed to Amlwch to the east of Cemaes on day one before proceeding to Beaumaris the next day .
The trip can include a lucky few passengers on board and is expected to take five days in total with day three being the most trepidacious .
That ’ s when the crew will hit the challenging rough waters of The Swellies ( or Swillies – Welsh Pwll Ceris ). This is known as one of the most dangerous areas of the strait between the two bridges . Here , rocks near the surface cause over-falls and local whirlpools , which can be of considerable danger in themselves and cause small boats to founder on the rocks .
The CHA which served Cemaes and the northern coast of Anglesey from 1907 to 1932 will then overnight in Caernarvon and then attempt the same stretch of water in an easterly direction back to Beaumaris . There will be a motorised support vessel in case conditions become too dangerous .
If you fancy being on board the lifeboat for the Menai Strait sailing then contact the Cemaes Boat Club for more information or if the sound of this trip makes you feel seasick , then calmer sailings for visitors to Cemaes are planned for alternate weekends during the Summer , subject to weather and sea conditions .
This month , local ‘ not for profit ’ pop-up yoga and wellbeing organisation , The Wellbeing Campus , launches a brand new pop-up space in Bebington , where it will bring yoga , meditation and wellbeing events to the Wirral community .
In response to local demand , the new ‘ pop-up ’ barn is positioned close to Claremont Farm where previous sell-out classes and workshops have been held .
The new ‘ Yoga Barn ’ will be open 7 days a week and will run a busy timetable of regular yoga classes including before work , post schoolrun and evening sessions as well as a varied calendar of courses and workshops .
Weekend events will bring together the whole gang with family yoga and mindfulness sessions as well as bushcraft , foraging and naturefocused adventures held separately for children to allow parents to enjoy a yoga workshop and some time to focus on themselves . Wellbeing holiday clubs and school mindfulness programmes for kids of all ages are also planned .
Local psychology graduate Louis McLoughlin , who was part of the small team that founded the organisation , created the ‘ pop-up ’ wellness event concept locally and it gathered interest through events at New Brighton beach , local cafés and bars , local woodland and through a weekly Sunday class at Claremont Farm - all of which regularly sold out . Their new pop-up yoga studio and the tranquillity of the grounds that surround it make it one of the most idyllic spots in Wirral to continue addressing wellbeing-related issues . This new barn space will become the new base of The Wellbeing Campus but the team , which now includes local PR and fundraiser Laura Young and holistic therapist Charlene Locke , will spread wellbeing across Wirral this summer by hosting a series of creative pop up events in perfectly chosen locations .
If you are interested in the events being hosted , or the wider wellbeing work being done by The Wellbeing Campus , or if you are interested in donating to support this work , please contact the team via Facebook , Instagram or email at : info @ thewellbeingcampus . com .
8 wirrallife . com