The CWAC Positively Women Respite Break For Women And Children

Back to main Daytrips page

31st May – 04 June 2005

Apart from the outings and school trips I took part in twenty three years ago. I had never been on a family outing before. So when I received a letter informing me that CWAC in conjunction with Positively Women had organised a respite break for women and children from the 31st May – 04th June, and that I had been lucky enough to be included in the trip, I saw this as a chance that I could not afford to miss.

First, the trip was going to be very useful to me since it going to give me the opportunity to get away from home, mix with others and do things together. Secondly, it was going to give my three year old son time to make friends since where we were living he was I solicited and didn’t have friend’s of his own, and also he was going to have enough space to play, run around and breath fresh air.
Attached to the letter was an application form I had to fill and return to Beulah of Positively Women by Tuesday, 10th May, failure to which it was to be assumed you were not interested and that your place would go to someone else. This is a risk I couldn’t take, so I filled my form the same day I received the form and sent it back the next day.

I literally counted days, which didn’t seem to be moving and at last it finally came. In fact, I did all my packing the previous night because it was clearly started in the letter that a coach was to pick people from Positively Women at exactly 1pm and that it was not going to wait for anyone. I boarded a bus two hours earlier even though from where I resided to Positively Women is a journey that lasts for only forty six minutes!

When I arrived at Positively Women offices an hour earlier than departure time, I discovered there were others who were there long before me. I was surprised since I thought I was the only one excited about the trip! As we waited for the rest of the people to arrive, I started wondering what a trip it was going to be with strangers. I had never met any of these women and their children. My other worry was whether my son who had no friends was going to cope. My thoughts were interrupted by a young lady who smiled at and greeted us and introduced herself as one of those who will be travelling together with us. She did not introduce herself as an official but as one of us. I only came to realise later on that she was Katie Ward from CWAC. This lady made me feel a bit relaxed and comfortable even though we had never met before! Thanks to CWAC for sending us such a young tolerant down to earth officer.
Meanwhile, my son Marvin who is three years old and couldn’t stay still has playing with boys his age in a playroom next door. My tears were now over and I was amazed at how short a time it took him to mingle with other children.

Within a couple of hours Beulah, Katie and Angelina were busy putting our luggage together and making sure everyone was ready for take off. The coach finally arrived and we all assembled to broad it. It was very big coach that even children as young as one year old had their own seats. We were advised to adjust our seat belts and the driver immediately sat behind the wheel.

We were heading to Hassocks near Brighton and the journey was going to take three hours or so we were informed. The journey seemed to take a shorter time other than the three hours due to the comfort ability of the coach. At last we were at Hassocks. Imagine the warm welcome we received here. The staff at the reception was warm and friendly, one would think we had met before. At the reception we found that everything had been pre arranged and we were given each keys to our rooms. To the surprise of mothers and children’s amazement there were all sorts of toys and teddy bears in the rooms, which we were later to learn the children could take home with them! There was also a very big play ground, very suitable for children of all ages, conducive environment and safe because it was very well fenced. Whoever settled for the idea of choosing for mothers and children such a place must have done real good groundwork.
Soon it was dinner time. The food was well prepared by professional well-trained cooks. After dinner, there was time to relax, chat and know each other better. It was so good to mingle with other women and children from different walks of life and hear their experiences about their health. We soon became part of one big happy family.

The next day there was the workshop where we had discussions about issues affecting us as positive women. Here, we even got to know each other better and drew closer.
The next day we visited the family farm in Hassocks. A mini bus picked us from our hostel and we had yet another wonderful day here. We saw different types of farm animals and birds, like the proud ostriches that most of us had only heard of read about. There were horses, donkeys, sheep, pigs, farm bred chicken, name them they were found in this farm. Both mothers and children could not hide their excitement since they were seeing some of these animals and birds for the first time. Thanks to the organisers.

Then came the tractor ride around the farm! This brought an extra wave of excitement with mothers and their children singing ‘old MacDonald had a farm’. There was so much activity going on in the farm that we almost forgot to have our lunch but thanks to the officers who carried our packed lunch. Later in the evening we went back to our warm hostel.

The next day we had another opportunity to go on a day trip to Brighton. Here packed lunch and transport was provided. Brighton was another family resort of choice. We visited the most amazing, most wonderful Aquarium in the world! The Aquarium has over 150 marine species and 57 displays. Brighton sea life centre, a magical experience whatever the weather. Time and space cannot allow me to express what a day we had at Brighton sea life centre anyway without the effort of the organizers, where on earth would we have gotten such an opportunity to visit such wonderful places? Even at the end of a very enjoyable day out, both mothers and children were reluctant to return to their hostel. As usual the warm lively staffs were always at our service.

Next day was Yoga and keep fit classes. This was yet another half day relaxing for mothers only while children were well taken care of. It was quite a relief from the otherwise day-to-day stresses of life mothers had with their children. Later on in the day it was time to go out shopping. The small Hassocks shopping centre turns out to be comfortable empty. There are all the usual charity shops, so mothers go for clothes for themselves and their children. This is also another enjoyable time to go shopping in the quite countryside unlike the city we came from with ever endless queues!

Although each and every single day of the respite break at the countryside was enjoyable, we finally and reluctantly came to the last day. Everything that has a beginning has an end, we came to the end of our holiday we did our packing the previous night and of course mothers had extra luggage to carry home with them. Remember the teddy bears and the books we were allowed to carry with us?
We woke up the next morning, had breakfast and soon the comfortable coach was here again! We were reluctant to leave, but as the saying goes, East or West, home is best. And we had to go back home.

Back to main Daytrips page