August is a great time for us at Skern Lodge. Variety is the name of the game during the summer holidays. Along with a large number of individuals, families and friends attending our adventure days, weeks and stays, we also have a fantastic mix of residential groups during this time.
We started the month working with a fantastic group of youngsters supported by the Fluency Trust. Providing a programme of speech therapy sessions and exciting activities, these young people were able to improve their stammer as well as share some great experiences with others with similar challenges.
During the same week we had the pleasure of the company of eleven apprentices from UKAEA. These bright young stars are the future engineers of the UK's atomic energy development and certainly gained from their week long residential programme with our tutors Ed and Matthew. Their residential was designed to incorporate with their apprenticeship programme and form part of their induction process to integrate them into the company ethos and culture.
This week we have welcomed 70 young Police Cadets from North Warwickshire and West Mercia. Their residential programme has included a great mix of team and individual development content. Problem solving, leadership and teamwork were put to the test on a range of activities including an exciting day at Hartland undertaking a navigation exercise and a series of tasks and challenges en route. As the week draws to a close, our cadets are currently running around Skern completing more team tasks and challenges, returning to their meeting rooms for their final reviews and reflections before departing with a well-earned certificate.
These were not the only cadets we have had this week either, as we were joined for two days by the Royal Marines Volunteer Cadet Corps. Staying at RM Chivenor, they participated in a range of land and water based activities. It was a great pleasure to see this group return to us for yet another year.
Towards the rest of August, we are eagerly awaiting the arrival of some youngsters supported by Children's Hospice South West. These young people have siblings who are in the care of the Children's Hospice and are looking forward to a weekend away with others who will understand and empathise with their personal situation.
We are looking forward to the return of a group that last came to us in 2011. The Blind Veterans UK, formally St Dunstan's, is a large British charity, providing free support and services to vision-impaired ex-Armed Forces and National Service personnel. Our tutor, Andy, is looking forward to welcoming the group to the centre and providing a challenging programme throughout the week.
Also staying during that week, we have a group of young people who really do deserve a holiday – Somerset Young Carers. These young people provide care for parents or siblings on a daily basis, and the organisation provides a supportive environment where these young people can have a respite and share experiences with like-minded individuals. The excitement of surfing, kayaking and a challenging day at Hartland await them during their stay.
August is also a time for our staff team to grab a break before we go full steam ahead for September and October. Our team have been taking advantage of the great weather and have been travelling around the country and abroad as part of their summer holiday, ensuring they are rested and ready to meet the challenges of the months ahead.
We hope you have had a great break too!
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