Finally, after months of planning, the Service Users at our Boughton Green Rd Home set-out on their summer holiday for 2012. This year they chose to go to a Haven’s resort in Lincolnshire – called Golden Sands. And the name says it in a nutshell!

The staff and Service Users stayed in caravans and everyone really enjoyed themselves. The staff particularly felt that they had all worked very well together as a team to help give the Services Users a special holiday to be remembered. The Service Users were organised into two smaller groups with the caravans – which helped to ensure that each Service User benefitted from social inclusion and small, individualized group activities – offering a variety of choices. Importantly – the Service Users were able to interact with the community and they engaged with each other and with the staff.

The staff were happy to see a lot of positive interaction and communication amongst the Service Users – they were willing to share and definitely more patient and tolerant of each other. (Great social skills!)

It has to be said that upon their return – the house was just buzzing from everyone’s eagerness to reshare their memories from their holiday and very keen make a scrapbook of pictures to capture the best times from the week away.

Some of the activities that the Service Users and staff tried out were the rides at the funfair (including some brave people who tried the bungee trampoline!) and the pedlows on the lake (great for co-ordination).

Because of the time of year some of the group managed to see the Olympic Torch Relay as it passed through the town. They loved it and got caught up in the excitement alongside the rest of the residential community lining the streets to welcome the torch bearer.

Another successful Service User holiday was had by all – and mainly because they all had an input into where they went and what they would do when they got there. We also have a fab bunch of staff who always go above and beyond…to truly enrich the lives of our Service Users. I’d like to say a big thank you to our Homes staff for your valuable support during these Service User holidays!