Green Island Holiday Trust Spring Newsletter 2025
Dear Volunteers, Supporters and Friends,
Following our last newsletter in the Autumn things are hotting up towards our next season of holidays at Wraxall Yard this year. Again we plan to hold 5 weeks of holidays thus providing 25 disabled holidaymakers with a relaxing break. It has proven more difficult to recruit volunteers for May. Quite reasonably it is a popular month for us all to take holidays. The Trustees may consider adding a third September week as this is a much more popular month.
Your feedback from last year has proved useful to make some changes. We presented the feed back at the Training Day. Nick Read has been very responsive and Wraxall now has an on-site defibrillator, he has purchased a mobile hoist which lives in the community room toilet area and he is investigating a riser recliner chair that would suit the elegant decor of Wraxall. Ideas for trips out and on-site activities have been shared.
We apologise for the rather late change in date for our Training day. Twenty or so volunteers attended. Presentations on Feedback, Trust Finances, Medication Administration, Hoisting and Safeguarding were well received. It was a great opportunity for us to catch up together. We plan to arrange next years’ Training Day date in good time and suggest 21/3/26 so please make a note of that important date. We are also trying to organise a half day course in Moving and Handling for volunteers.
The trustees continue to address the challenge of Fundraising. Our recent Colours pop-up fashion show raised over £2000 which was a tremendous result. Many thanks to Jane Arnold for all her work organising it. Many thanks to you all for encouraging great ticket sales such that it was a sell-out. Amanda is working hard towards this years’ Golf Day on September 1st. Teams are advised to get on and book as places are going fast. Any smart raffle prizes would be greatly appreciated.
Jane, John and I visited Kingcombe, the visitor centre of the Dorset Wildlife Trust this week. We met Matt and Harriet (Harry), two of the staff there plus Blanche who runs the cafe. They would be delighted to host our holidaymakers for themed visits if suitable. John will distribute the information and contact details to the Team Leaders.
John has been a superb Co-ordinator for this year and a half. He plans to hand over in September so we are looking for someone to take over this role. As you may know it requires a flexible approach to tasks and hours whilst demanding a degree of attention to detail. The start of the year and Spring can be busy whilst Winter is a relatively quiet period. If any of you are interested in taking on the role, please speak to me, John or another of the Trustees. It is our only role that attracts remuneration.
Wishing you all a lovely Spring and Summer and hoping to see many of you at Wraxall yard during our holidays.
Philippa (Dickins) Chair of the Trust.