8.30am
A wet and windy night - the children were so tired from yesterday's exertions they slept through. There were a few early birds up at 5.45am but many children made the most of a slightly later breakfast time by having a lie in. Everyone had already worked up an appetite by the time they reached the queue for the dining room and they are currently fuelling up for the day ahead.
Despite very soggy conditions underfoot, the sky is blue and the sun is out over Liddington.
9.45am
The day is well underway and the children have begun their first activity of the morning:
|
Group
|
Activity 1
|
Activity 2
|
|
1 – Miss Plumley
|
Zip Wire
|
Sensory Trail
|
|
2 – Miss Gilder
|
Sensory Trail
|
Zip Wire
|
|
3 – Mrs Maggs
|
Zip Wire
|
Survivor
|
|
4 – Mrs Walker
|
Survivor
|
Zip Wire
|
|
5 – Mrs Wells
|
Climbing
|
Problem Solving
|
|
6 – Mrs Judd
|
Problem Solving
|
Climbing
|
|
7 – Mrs Bond & Mrs Grabowska
|
Giant Swing
|
Canoeing
|
|
8 – Mrs Wilson
|
Canoeing
|
Giant Swing
|
12.30pm
The staff and PGL Leaders have seen lots of examples of wonderful team work in each activity group.
Riley showed Miss Gilder how to attach her harness correctly for the Zip Wire. each pair of pupils from Group 7 worked in unison and manage to canoe around the lake. Mrs Grabowska joined in the fun, although she managed to avoid being captured on camera.
................ and the sun is still shining.
1.00pm
A spot of pre-lunch football.
5.30pm
The children had a fabulous afternoon and completed this afternoon's activities in style.
This is what they got up to:
|
Group
|
Activity 1
|
Activity 2
|
|
1 – Miss Plumley
|
Canoeing
|
Crate Challenge
|
|
2 – Miss Gilder
|
Crate Challenge
|
Canoeing
|
|
3 – Mrs Maggs
|
Canoeing
|
Crate Challenge
|
|
4 – Mrs Walker
|
Crate Challenge
|
Canoeing
|
|
5 – Mrs Wells
|
Canoeing
|
Abseiling
|
|
6 – Mrs Judd
|
Abseiling
|
Canoeing
|
|
7 – Mrs Bond & Mrs Grabowska
|
Survivor
|
Trapeze
|
|
8 – Mrs Wilson
|
Trapeze
|
Survivor
|
If you have yet to discover some of these activities, you will be so impressed by how brilliantly the children have embraced every opportunity since arriving at Liddington. In case you are unsure of what some of them entail...
Survivor - an activity where the children find out if they have what it takes to survive and learn skills to stay warm and dry when all they have is what they can forage for in the woods. Each team must plan their camp, taking into account the prevailing weather and then share out tasks to get the shelter built before time runs out...
Crate Challenge - constructing a tower of crates sounds easy but the challenge is in which team can build the tallest, and whilst having two members standing on the top. Each team must add crates without knocking their team members off. The children on the top of each tower wear safety harnesses and are roped.
Abseiling - The tower is over 10 metres high. The task - to walk backwards off the top, gradually working back towards ground level, suspended only on a rope. It’s all about trust, courage and confidence.
The weather was kind and as you can see from the photos, the afternoon stayed sunny and dry, so much so, you can see some of our canoeists enjoying a dunk at the end of their session.
Some of our group leaders joined in this afternoon too, with Miss Plumley out on the lake in a canoe and Mrs Judd abseiling down the climbing wall!
6.25pm
I have it on good authority that the children are currently having a whale of a time playing Musical Bumps as they wait to go into dinner.
They say that every picture tells a story and the photos are proof of what a fantastic time the children are having and how happy and well cared for they have been.
Huge thanks to our brilliant staff team:
Mrs Bond, Miss Gilder, Mrs Grabowska, Mrs Maggs, Miss Plumley,
Mrs Walker, Mrs Wells & Mrs Wilson.
Congratulations Miss Lavrich, Party Leader, on organising and ensuring that the residential was a huge success and a great experience for everyone involved.
9.24pm
Rooms tidied, inspections completed, prizes shared and film night underway. Lots of very tired children will shortly be making their way to bed.
The coaches are due to depart Liddington after lunch tomorrow and I will send an email confirming their safe departure as soon as I hear from Miss Lavrich that they have left the site.
Washing machines should be set to stand-by as there is a fair bit of soggy clothing heading your way!
More news tomorrow.
Mrs Taylor