It’s been a while since I sat here in the teachers retreat at Kingswood (They
didn’t have one of these when I first started residentials!) after the bus
journey from Leicester via the beautiful Wells Next The Sea. There is a sense
of peace here at the moment, but the reason for that is detailed below –
something to do with duvets and other items of bedding.
The coach journey, which many years ago would have been peppered
with community singing , was replaced
with the silence created by earphones, gadgets and hushed conversations about
what strategy to use next to compete with someone else’s high score, or the
silent miming to the latest music. There were some examples of snoring, but I
promised not to disclose which member of staff these came from. Well not yet anyway.
Wells was welcomed with a loud round of applause, before we
set off into the pine woods to enjoy lunch. After that, we took the opportunity
to explore the wind swept beach, that lies beyond the sand dunes.
As beautiful as ever, Wells Beach provided first experiences
of an English beach for some of the party, a chance to collect shells and
stones for others and the opportunity for certain others simply to run around
punctuating the air with piercing screams. Strangely the seagulls vacated the
beach very quickly!
Back on the coach, we enjoyed the tight bends and rolling
marshes of the Norfolk coast. With at least one point in the journey prompting
Mr Chivers and I to take the opportunity to wishfully consider putting our bird
watching skills into practice, but sadly that was not to be.
Finally, we were greeted by; enthusiastic couriers, unloaded
the bus, went on a tour and were allocated to the dormitories, where of course
the first fun of the evening began!
The challenge; take one duvet, one cover and then seek to
somehow mysteriously collaborate them together, to provide sleeping provision.
Of course, that doesn’t include the stubbornness of the bottom sheet to grip
any part of the bed and as for the pillow case, they were strangely still left
on the floor.
As staff we always seek to demonstrate, but of course
watching and then putting into practice are two different things. For some, the challenge is still being
responded to!
Only half an hour until dinner!
Mr Marshall
