Archery

Phab Weekend in Bournemouth

National Phab organised a weekend in Bournemouth, a great opportunity to get together with other Phab clubs to socialise and do some fun activities together.

A group of 21 of our members signed up for the event, had been looking forward to it for months, and now it was finally time!

Friday 29th November – Getting there, and Dinner

With so many members going, and different needs, not only in terms of accessibility and support, but starting points and work commitments, transport is complex. Our minibus started it’s journey in Kidlington, one car started from Botley, with a pick up in Abingdon, another car from Marston, another from the Oxford Eye Hospital after it’s passenger (not the driver!) had an appointment there and then picked up luggage in Abingdon. The fourth car started after work from Banbury – collecting a passenger in Kidlington.

We did all arrive at the Marsham Court Hotel in Bournemouth, and checked in. There was an additional check in step for people with additional needs, to prepare evacuation plans for anyone who might require extra assistance, and the hotel were able to lend Strobe Light Alarms to deaf visitors.

At 7pm we had an evening meal, with options of fish pie, chicken curry, a vegetarian option, with a selection of vegetables.

This was followed by singing by the accomplished Lee Austin – who had entertained us for several years at Chichester, and a Karaoke, Games and a Disco. Some of us retired to the quiet of the bar for a chat before making our way to our rooms

Saturday 30th November – activities

A wide choice was available for breakfast between 8 and 9, though this was too early for some, who preferred a lie-in. There were cereals, and fruit salad (a little crunchy, but real, not tinned), toast and croissants , with jam made on the premises. The hot buffet had a similarly wide selection with fried and scrambled eggs, bacon, sausages, hash browns, tomatoes (real ones, grilled, not tinned), and so on. It did tend to run out of some items from time to time, but was being replenished all the way through till 9.

After breakfast, or just getting up for the sleepy heads, we had a selection of morning activities.

Indoor Archery and Nerf guns

We could indulge our inner Robin Hood or Shane in safety with rubber tipped arrows and Nerf gun darts.

A nerf dart is lodged between the yellow ball and the frame – Good shooting!

Yoga

For those who wanted to find their inner peace there was a Yoga session

Lunch

We sat down for some sandwiches for lunch.

Lunch was followed by even more activities!

Boccia

Boccia is always popular, and it was good to be able to join together with people from other clubs for a game.

Arts and Crafts

Zumba

George Martini and a group of Zumba enthusiasts were staying at the Hotel at the same time, so he kindly had a break from his Zumba to lead a session for us.

Creature Teacher

Some of our members chose to make friends with the animals

Wine Tasting

The hotel laid on a lesson in wine appreciation, with an experienced member of staff to take us though the wines on offer.

Bingo

Bingo is another popular activity.

Gala Dinner

Have split up for all the activities everyone gathered for the Gala dinner, with a pre-dinner drink in the bar beforehand.

After we had eaten there was dancing, and a professional photographer, so some left with a memento of their weekend.

Sunday 1st December – Worship, quiz, Sunday lunch and home

We had brought the Oxford Phab projector, but it’s bulb blew before the service, and the hotel were able to lend us one so everything was set up just in time. As on previous weekends Mary had put a lot of thought and preparation into the service, and the attendees included several who had been to the services in Chichester in previous years.

We also fitted in breakfast and packing, leaving our rooms clear for cleaning, and many enjoyed Lee’s entertaining quiz.

Sunday lunch and raffle draw

After a Sunday Lunch with lemon chicken, roast potatoes etc, the raffle was drawn, with some of our members winning prizes (and, as is the way with raffles, some not)

Homeward bound

With a slight re-arrangement of passengers to accommodate different destinations, our four cars and minibus set off on the return trip. There was someone who could act as a navigator as well as the driver in each vehicle, in case of major incidents en-route, but our return was uneventful. Although we had enjoyed the weekend it was good to be home!

Oxford Phab return to Avon Tyrrell

We greatly enjoyed our Phab holiday in 2019, where we visited the New Forest Wildlife park and had a camp fire, and did high ropes, the climbing wall, archery, and some did canoeing and the zipwire. We had such a good time that we booked to go again in 2020, but a Global Pandemic upset our plans (as well as those of many others).

The ever helpful staff at Avon Tyrrell allowed us to roll over our booking to 2021, and then again to 2022 – and our much anticipated return became a reality. Sadly some of the members who came with us in 2019 could not join us on this trip, however we were joined by some people who had never been on a Phab holiday before, and a fresh perspective on trip was refreshing. As one of them, Libby, said

What an awesome weekend. It was great to spend some quality time with a range of top folk, learning together, challenging each other to get outside our comfort zones but knowing that we all had each other’s backs. It was a fun weekend, packed with lots of different activities and things to do, but one where we had the space and time to chillax and rest.

This sums the weekend perfectly.

It could not have happened without a lot of hard work, particularly from Mary, our club leader, but also financial contributions from The Bruce Wake Trust and Wesley Memorial Church. Their contributions enabled the holiday to be affordable for all our members.

Before holiday started a lot of effort had gone into buying food etc, cookng, and packing

Activities

We had a very action packed weekend, with different activities happening in parallel, so on Friday afternoon some groups were doing Archery, and some Canoeing. On Saturday we all went to Poole, where one group went on a boat trip to Wareham, another to Brownsea Island and another explored Poole town. On Sunday were further opportunities for Archery, Canoeing, High Ropes and the Climbing Wall.

Canoeing

The canoes were used in pairs, joined together with a plank securely roped to the boats, making them very stable.

High Ropes

The High Ropes allowed us to push our boundaries, as well as simply have fun !

Climbing Wall

The climbing wall had been replaced since our last visit, now even higher !

Poole

Our day out in Poole was so filled with variety that it deserves its own article – here.

The adventure continues …

The holiday was so good that we have already started planning for a return in 2023, meanwhile, if anyone who went has memories or pictures suitable for sharing on a public web site, please contact me, or post a comment.

Avon Tyrrell 2019 – Canoeing, Zipwire, Archery and Pizzas !

Unfortunately the hoist at the boathouse was broken, so only a small group (who also had to be prepared to forego a Sunday lie-in) were able to go canoeing.

As we always find, the instructor was very good, and had everybody playing ‘tag’ – which he was much better at than everybody else !

A group, mostly of members who had not been able to have a go last year, had a chance to try the Zip Wire.

It was a thrilling experience !

While some members were on the Zip Wire, others were trying their hand at Archery, as we did last year.

Having worked up a good appetite we returned to the Lodge for home made pizza as our Pizza Night in June had gone so well.

Fueled by our lunch we loaded the minibus and cars and went home for a rest !

Phab Holiday in Avon Tyrrell – Friday – Travelling, Archery and Campfire

So many people (24) went this year that we used 5 cars. as well as our trusty minibus.

The weather was lovely, so the journey was dreadful ! As well as the normal attraction of a day at the seaside the Bournemouth Air Festival was in progress. Since its formation in 2009 the festival claims to have entertained over nine-million people, and they were all on the roads between Oxford and Avon Tyrrell that day !
We arrived, only a little late for the Archery session we had booked, hastily ate our sandwiches and unleashed our inner toxopholite (shoot arrows in the general direction of the target).

After archery we unloaded our luggage, and our valiant kitchen team cooked the choices we had selected of spaghetti bolognaise, pasta carbonara, or a vegetarian pasta option.
Another keen group of forest foragers had been gathering wood and pine cones, and we had another campfire in the fire pit next to the cabin.

We also had cherry tomatoes and baby sweetcorn as a vegetarian option, but delicious for everybody.

Archery at Avon Tyrrell

We brought out our inner Robin Hood in a couple of Archery sessions, split into two groups so everyone had plenty of opportunity to have a go.
Once again they had a gadget which allows archery, using a standard bow in a clamp, with a gate latch to release the bowstring.

Everyone who wanted to was able to have a go at archery.

This is just a selection of those who took part.