Avon Tyrrell in July 2025

For many of our members our Activity Weekends at Avon Tyrrell are a highlight of the year, and we booked for 2025, in order to have the accessible cabins we need, shortly after our holiday in 2023.

Preparation

Many things need to be in place for a successful holiday. and the planning starts months earlier, although it often needs to be revised in the run up to the weekend. In this case injury prevented one of our members – who had been anticipating it all year – from attending, and the Black Firs cabin – with its ceiling hoist, was not going to be available.

Meals needed to be planned – although now we know we can have a supermarket delivery to the cabin on Friday afternoon we do not need to need to pack, and keep chilled, as much food. We had pizza and salad on Saturday night, but still need to ensure that everyone can have something they like. We take some kitchen utensils, cleaning materials etc.

The Phab minibus and all the equipment, luggage and passengers need to be come together for loading.

Friday – travel and seaside

We arrived at Avon Tyrrell in time to eat the picnic lunches we had brought, unpack the minibus and receive our food delivery.

Once we were settled in it was time to load the minibus and a car, and set off for fish and chips at Milford-on-Sea. The minibus went directly there, and the car picked up our order which had been sent earlier.

Activities

On Saturday morning we had a cooked breakfast and made sandwiches,

We split into two groups for activities, with sessions on Saturday morning, two on Saturday afternoon and the fourth on Sunday morning, but the following descriptions and images are an amalgamation of the activities of both groups.

High Ropes

There are several activities in the High Ropes area, and as they take some time to set up the safety ropes for any particular activity we don’t all do all of the possible activities.

An opportunity to rise, in a safety sling, high into the trees, is very popular.

Using the same safety ropes, there is a wire which stretches between two trees. Some members opted to climb up to the wire, and walk along it, supporting themselves with ropes hanging from another wire above them.

Another popular challenge was walking up a sloping set of logs.

There was also a platform mounted high at the top of a pole, which some of our braver members climbed – getting from the pole unto the platform is the tricky part.

Canoeing

Down at the lake is a jetty with a hoist. This allows someone who could not normally participate safely in aquatic adventures to board the catamaran constructed by lashing a plank to two standard canoes.

Other members ventured into the water in single and double canoes, and even a pedalo.

Climbing Wall

The climbing wall has a hoist attached to a beam, allowing it to provide support for someone in a safety sling without pulling them into the wall.

Other routes were available

Archery

Once again this brought out our inner Robin Hood.

Pizzas and campfires

We had a meal of Pizza and Salad – two chalets meant two kitchens, so we could cook many pizzas at the same time. Part of the preparation before the holiday had been asking members about food choices, and we made sure there were vegetarian and gluten free options for those who needed them.

We also had a selection of deserts with summer fruits, meringue nests, ice cream, strawberries etc.

After we had eaten we could go out and enjoy the campfire.

We could sit and enjoy the glow and look at the flames, have a glass of wine, toast marshmallows and sing traditional camp fire songs, according to taste.

Packing up and going home

Sunday morning breakfast was more staggered, and members helped themselves to cereal, fruit, yoghurst, toast etc, and beds were being stripped, bags packed etc.

This was followed by our fourth activity session, and lunch in the main house, so we did not have to clean up afterwards, and could focus on loading the minibus and setting off for home. What was the rush?

This was also the day of the Final of the UEFA Women’s Euro and we are very glad our keenest fans managed to see the amazing result!

Anticipating Avon Tyrrell

A big focus of the evening was our forthcoming Holiday at Avon Tyrrell. There is always a lot of details to be arranged – accommodation in two cabins, transport arrangements, food etc as well as reminiscences about previous trips and looking forwards to what we hope to do this time.

One of our members, who had been planning on exceeding last year’s achievements, particularly on the high ropes, would not be joining us as he had a recent injury which would have made participation in some of the activities, or even the moving around the sometimes steep and bumpy paths around the woodland site too risky.

We had a potential new member, and it will be good to have an addition to the members who enjoy reading, and discussing books.

Phabfest 2025 at Parallel Windsor.

Despite the torrential rain at Parallel Windsor last year we had a great time, and looked forward to returning. Unfortunately 3 of our members who had booked for the day were unable to come, but we did get through the occasion without further medical problems – but not without rain!.

It was dry when we arrived, and collected our Phab tee-shirts, for those who did not have then already, from the Phab tent. We listened to the variety of entertainment on the main stage – where we were due to be appearing!

We also explored a little, and ate some lunch, as we were due to be signing ‘Believe’ by Lin Marsh. During this time we also had the first downpour, which fortunately finished before we had to go on.

We think our performance went down well, and we were free to watch other acts include Epsom and Ewell Phab giving us a ‘highlights’ version of their musical ‘Park Heights

We could also explore some of the other stands, hold some chicks, feed a pony and an donkey, see the Welsh Guards stand, and play a game of Connect 4.

The heavens opened again, and took shelter, as everyone at the event packed into Event Shelters.

Happiness is being under cover in a downpour!

Fortunately the rain stopped as suddenly as it had begun, and we were made our way to the Long Walk for the 1Km super sensory challenge.

We finished in time to see some of John Kelly‘s performance.

Here are some videos from the day

A quiet Zumba?

For various medical reasons quite a few of our members did not come, so our numbers were lower than normal. Due to the heat some who normally enjoy Zumba decided to stay in chat in the John Wesley Room.

Those who did join in were glad they did, as we enjoyed a varied programme of music and movement and had a really good time.

Cookies baked with pride

We love cookies, and are very glad we meet at Wesley Memorial Church which has two kitchens. We also count a chef amongst our members, and it has been a while since we last benefited from her skills. Maria made cookie dough and our members called upon their gastronomic skills to form their individual creations – each one unique.

Maria, assisted by Darren, baked the cookies, and when they came out the room was filled with wonderful smells!

Even better than baking cookies is enjoying eating the results!

Making for Pride

Saturday 7th June 2025 was Oxford Pride 2025, and some of our members would be joining Wesley Memorial Members in the parade. Other church groups had already started a decoration to be attached to the church railings for the celebration and we were very happy to finish it off.

Meal out at The Red Lion, Kidlington

A dozen of us met for a meal at The Red Lion in Kidlington, and like the last time we came we had a area set aside for us, where we could chat and enjoy our meals from the wide selection available. Several of our members had let us know what they wanted, which gave the Red Lion kitchen some forewarning, but they were able to add all the members who had not made up their minds before coming.

Spring in the air – Easter Bingo!

We had a good turnout for our Easter Bingo, where members bring chocolates or other treats suitable as prizes for those who can not eat chocolate. We have our own Bingo machine, and Tom, our chair, demonstrated his versatility by moving strait from running the preceding committee meeting to being our Bingo caller.

With plenty of prizes, from hot cross buns to bags, through savoury snacks to the traditional chocolate eggs there was plenty to play for.

We play so that the first to get a horizontal line picks a prize, then the first to get two lines, and then we go on to a full house. Once players have had a big prize they have a mini egg or similar small prize. We play several rounds and then for the last round we keep playing until everyone has won.

By the end of the evening all the prizes had been distributed – and some eaten! All prizes but one – we had a very generous donation of a beautifully wrapped basket filled with Easter goodies – and we put everyone’s names in a draw to pick the lucky winner.

A good way to round off the pre-Easter season.

Club Night without Zumba

We had been looking forward to another of George Martini’s energetic Zumba sessions, but unfortunately he was unwell, and Zumba is not the kind of activity you can lead if you are not really fit – as George normally is.

We had an evening of chatting instead, discussing recent holidays, books and the alarming movement away from compassion and empathy in politics at present. Not a cheerful subject, but talking it through was a reminder that although selfish, narrow minded people dominate the news we are surrounded by kind caring people.