AT Blog 28th July

Hi All,

It’s that time of year when it is non stop at Avon Tyrrell, people coming and going, with me the House, self catering accommodation and campsites all busy. We have seen Grieg City Academy utilise the self catering and camp site and enjoy activities for the week. We have also seen our charity’s UK Youth Voice national conference held at the weekend with great success, allowing young people to discuss topical subjects and have their voices heard. We have the ability to provide many different options to visiting groups and if you ever want to experience this unique place then please visit our website http://www.avontyrrell.org.uk/ or email info@ukyouth.org or even call 01425 672347 for more information.

We have again had a benefit of 35 IBM staff giving us a day’s free labour in our grounds on one of their Volunteer days. They managed to help clear some Rhododendrons from an area near our lakes, plus continue opening up an area between the lakes. They also helped build a section of path to our woodland survival area to help make it accessible for all, and work on our straw bale classroom. We are very grateful for their efforts and hope they will continue to support us and improve our site for the benefit of all who visit Avon Tyrrell.

The straw bale classroom itself, continues at rather a slower pace than we would like and if there are any enthusiasts out there who would like to help with building the roof in the next week please contact us at info@ukyouth.org or call Claire or David on 01425 672 347.

Avon Tyrrell week of 7th July 2008

It remains a busy time at Avon Tyrrell with Barnham and Olivers Battery Primary Schools filling all my rooms this week, and despite the couple of damp days the children seem to have a wonderful time. Our Norwegian Lodges have also been full and the activities within the grounds have been fully utilised. It is marvellous to see the whole site so busy and so many enjoying themselves. If you ever want to experience this unique place then please visit our website http://www.avontyrrell.org.uk/ or email info@ukyouth.org or even call 01425 672347 for more information.

As for the straw bale classroom, well the Met Office predicted a dry cloudy day on Tuesday so we planned the build of the straw walls on this day. First mistake was believing the Met Office, highly paid to get the weather wrong…. Anyway despite the odd rain shower we managed to build the walls and get the top ring beam on, which was one achievement in a day. We were ably assisted by one of the leading experts on Straw Bale Buildings, Rob Buckley and he and Claire Moir, the inspiration behind the straw bale classroom, laid the first bale.

REMEMBER - If you would like to visit our straw classroom build or perhaps volunteer to help please email info@ukyouth.org or call Claire or David on 01425 672 347

Planning Meeting...................

Now How does it Work!!!!!!!

Lunch Snooze....zzzzzzzzzzz

Claire & Rob 1st Bale

Walls in Progress

Making small Bales

Reaching the Top

Now that was a days work

And then the rain came.....

Avon Tyrrell week of 23June 2008

Well last week we had a fun packed week with Frith Manor Primary School enjoying full board accommodation in me, Avon Tyrrell House. And what an interesting time the school had with a number of light hearted antics between the teachers and pupils. It was good to see teachers and pupils able to enjoy there stay, and one unnamed teacher even fell in the lake, maybe with the assistance of a few pupils….

That last evening the children were told by their cruel and wicked teachers that their Disco session had been cancelled as there was no Avon Tyrrell staff to run it. So instead, they would have an environmental evening, the pupils responded, they cried, they begged they wailed and finally the teachers came clean and confessed it was all a joke. Peace was restored and the Disco went ahead, which all enjoyed as a fitting way to end a great week at Avon Tyrrell.

Our lodges were also full last week with other schools who also enjoyed a fantastic week at Avon Tyrrell. To book your fun week or weekend at Avon Tyrrell please visit our website http://www.avontyrrell.org.uk/ or email info@ukyouth.org.

Meanwhile the straw bale classroom build continues, the foundations are almost complete and the straw arrived. We continue to encounter small issues which can be challenging at times but we seem to manage a remedy. This up and coming week will see the ring beam complete and the first bales laid.

REMEMBER - If you would like to visit our straw classroom build or perhaps volunteer to help please email info@ukyouth.org or call Claire or David on 01425 672 347