SATURDAY 28TH - MONDAY 30TH AUGUST
Here's all you need to know for the first-ever CCS Church Weekend Away. You can book in at the bottom of this page.
THE WEEKEND AWAY
WHERE IS IT?
We’re heading to Bryanston School, a beautiful Victorian manor near Blandford, Dorset. It’s just over an hour's drive from Southampton through the New Forest, set in 400 acres of beautiful parkland.
We’ll have access to their extensive grounds, grass tennis courts, indoor swimming pool, sports facilities, and more. There’s even a Greek-style open-air theatre we’ve got a few ideas for...
WHEN IS IT?
Mark your diaries for the August bank holiday weekend - Saturday 28th to Monday 30th August 2021. We’ll be arriving on Saturday morning, and formally finishing after breakfast and a brief session on Monday morning - enabling you to enjoy the rest of Bank Holiday Monday elsewhere if you wish.
Alternatively, stay around for lunch on Monday and enjoy some relaxed time together with church family until late afternoon.
WHAT'S THE PROGRAMME?
FELLOWSHIP
We’re keen to spend time together after so long apart - so there’ll be plenty of time to just chill out, get to know others in the church, and relax. There’ll be a mixture of informal time but also plenty of organised activities and games. If you’re new to church (or just feel anxious about meeting others after so long!) be assured we’re making particular efforts to make the weekend as stress-free as possible.
FOOD
The school is providing a fantastic menu for us this year. We’re looking forward to a whole selection of dishes (including hot options at every meal), as well as plenty of times to catch up over coffee and cake.
FAITHFUL TEACHING
We’re planning to bring in a speaker from outside of the church family to teach us God’s Word through a couple of sessions interspersed through the weekend. Liam and the team are also working on a fantastic children's programme.
FUN
We’re aiming to keep the upfront programme relatively light - so there’s lots of time for unwinding and relaxing. Expect walks in the grounds and to the nearby town, football matches, a visit to the on-site café, and plenty more beside. One of our main aims is for you to have a thoroughly enjoyable weekend. There’s lots of ideas in the pipeline - watch this space!
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?
We’ve dug into church funds this year and struck a deal with Bryanston School to make our first ever weekend away as affordable as possible. Here are the headline prices:
Student / Unwaged = £80
Adult = £90
Children aged 0-5 = Free
First Child 6-17 = £50
Additional Child 6-17 = £40
If you would like to stay for lunch on Monday you can decide nearer to the time or let us know below - there will be an additional charge of £7 per adult and £5 per child (over 5) for this.
If you feel you are able to pay a little more, that will enable us to support those who are less able to come with an additional subsidy. There’s an optional box below to tick if you’d like to put in something extra. But there’s no pressure.
On the other hand, those prices might just not be feasible for you at the present time. Please do let us know in confidence if that’s the case - let Pete know by clicking here. We’re keen to make this work for everyone.
We’re asking for final payment by the end of July - and a flat £20 deposit when you place your booking. If you’d prefer to pay in instalments, please do get in touch.
WHERE WILL I BE STAYING?
Most accommodation is in your booking group (ie singles, twins, triples, quads) - however we will aim to enable shared rooms with friends for those coming on their own, if you would prefer.
Rooms are spacious and either have a shared bathroom, or an en suite bathroom. Shared bathrooms are private lockable rooms (ie they are not communal bathrooms with cubicles). We will particularly aim to provide en suite bathrooms for those with small children. Please do let us know if you have concerns about accommodation logistics. The rooms are spacious and will accommodate travel cots where that is needed. Parking is provided adjacent to the accommodation. Families with young children will need to bring their own high chairs for the dining room.
WHAT ABOUT COVID-19?
We’re hopeful that restrictions by the end of August will be minimal - but we don’t know the future! If government restrictions were to prevent the event from taking place, all monies will be refunded.
I HAVE OTHER QUESTIONS. WHO DO I TALK TO?
The Weekend Away Team - drawn from across the church family - are organising the weekend. Click here to get in touch.