We’re really looking forward to the Encounter Youth Weekend Away 2013 where the theme this year is “It all comes from here”. We will be looking at who God is and what He has done as well as running two different workshop streams entitled “So What” and “Going Deeper”.
This pack covers all of the information you need to get to the weekend and home again as well as forms containing the information that we need from you. All of the details we think you need to know about pricing, transport and food are below but please contact us if you have any questions.
The Encounter Weekend Away is for young people in school years 7 to 13. It starts on 22nd February 2013 and finishes on 24th February 2013. This year we will be heading to Whitemoor Lakes in Staffordshire. For more information about the venue please visit their website at www.actioncentres.co.uk/whitemoor-lakes.
If you have any enquiries about the weekend then please contact:
Beks Rothnie (Youth Minister at St. Johns Church, Kenilworth) – 07966 807 282
Isla Gammell (Youth Worker at St. Nicholas Church, Kenilworth) – 07597 039 552
Tom Millington (Centre Director at Kenilworth Youth for Christ) - 07557 790 717
The Encounter Youth Weekend Away is a joint youth event run by the local churches in Kenilworth and Kenilworth Youth for Christ. All leaders at the weekend have been CRB checked and adhere to relevant child protection and health and safety policies.
For ease of running the administration and finance are handled by St. John’s Church, 205, Warwick Road, Kenilworth. Paperwork must be received at St. John’s Church to guarantee a place. During the weekend the child protection policy of St. John’s will be the working policy. Likewise public liability insurance for travel to and from the event will be the policy of St. John’s Church. While we are at Whitemoor Lakes we will be covered by their insurance. All insurance is subject to acceptable behaviour from the young people.
Transport
We will be travelling by coach, car and minibus departing from St John’s Church, Warwick Road, Kenilworth. We expect to leave at 2:00pm on Friday 22nd February. There will only be enough room for one bag on the coach so please pack light
The coach will depart from the Whitemoor Lakes at 3.30pm on Sunday 24th February and should be back by 5:00pm. We will let you know if there is a major delay. If for any reason you will not be travelling on the coach, please let Beks Rothnie know.
Food
All meals will be provided by the activity centre starting with a meal on Friday night and finishing with lunch on Sunday. Please indicate any specific dietary requirements on the medical information sheet.
Accommodation
Whitemoor Lakes provides full en-suite bedrooms in internally accessible and secure lodges. All bed clothes are provided. Each accommodation lodge has its own lounge/break-out room and kitchenette, with free tea and coffee making facilities available 24 hrs a day. The site has 2 full drying rooms with dehumidifiers. Every lodge also has one or more wet-room style en-suite shower rooms ensuring guests with mobility impairments of all ages feel welcome and catered for.
Programme
The weekends programme will be a combination of teaching, ministry, games, fellowship provided by local churches youth workers / leaders and activities provided by Whitemoor Lakes. All sessions are compulsory although there is an element of choice involved in the morning seminars and the centres activities. For the centre activities you will have a choice of; High Ropes, Zip Wire and Abseiling, Archery, Fencing, Challenge Course and Problem Solving, Night Walk, Games and Campfire. Please sign up for your chosen activities on the Essentials Form enclosed with this letter. Attached is the recommended kit list for the weekend for you to keep and use to help you pack.
Rules
In order for all of us to get the most out of the weekend, there are some simple rules that need to be kept. Can you please read these and ensure your son/daughter signs the declaration and are aware of them.
Payment and Booking
The total cost of the weekend away is £88. This includes the activities, food and transport. Due to cancellation fees this payment is unfortunately not refundable unless there is a significant reason why your son/daughter cannot attend. Cheques should be made payable to St. Johns Church PCC. Alternatively you can pay by internet banking using the following details:
Account Number – 00018110
Sort Code – 40-52-40
Reference – EWA followed by your Surname – eg. EWA Smith
If you are inhibited by financial circumstances then please contact your youth worker or Beks who will be able to discuss the options.
A deposit of £44 with your completed ‘Booking form’, ‘Essential forms’, the ‘Rules Confirmation Slip’, the ‘Parental Consent form’ and hoodie order form (optional) must be received by Friday 21st December 2012 in order to book your place. You can return them to your youth/group leader who will forward them to Beks as soon as possible or directly to Beks at St Johns, 205, Warwick Road, Kenilworth, CV8 1HL. However, places are limited and will be allocated purely on a first come first served basis. Please note if a form has been returned to St. John’s without payment or vice versa then your son/daughter’s place will not have been reserved.
Full payment must be made by Tuesday 22nd January 2013.
Encounter Youth Weekend Away
Kit list
Whitemoor Activity Centre suggests the following items be packed:
Outdoor activities
r One set of clothes per day (no leggings)
r Warm layers
r Sensible trainers or outdoor shoes
r Warm socks
r Waterproof jacket
r Hat and Gloves
r Hair bobbles for long hair
Indoor activities
r Long sleeves for archery
r Indoor shoes
Optional items
r Waterproof trousers
r Wellington boots
r Torch
General items
r Towel
r Wash kit (toothbrush, tooth paste, soap, flannel, shampoo, roll on deodorants only)
r Sun cream
r Insect repellent
r Pyjamas (don’t forget your teddy)
r Enough underwear and socks for your stay, plus spares in case you get wet.
r Bible
r Note pad and pen
A few things to remember
è Your clothes may get dirty, so don’t bring your best stuff.
è Tracksuit bottoms are good for activities; please avoid leggings, jeans and skirts.
è No open toed shoes
Encounter Youth Weekend Away
Rules
Please read these statements and sign and return the slip to confirm you will follow them during the weekend:
1. I will seek to conduct myself in a way which honours the Christian values of the weekend and other people.
2. I must be on the Whitemoor Lakes site at all times unless accompanied off-site by a leader.
3. I will follow the Whitemoor Lakes instructor’s guidelines.
4. I will make every effort to attend every meeting and if unable to do so I will inform a youth leader beforehand.
5. I will be in my room at the time I am told by the leaders.
6. I will not make noise or disturb others at night.
7. I will not enter a bedroom belonging to or with anyone of the opposite sex. Likewise I will ask permission to be in the break-out room of another lodge.
8. I understand that if my behaviour is not acceptable then my parents may be contacted and I may be asked to leave the weekend.
Rules confirmation slip
I ______(insert your name here) have read the above rules and agree to follow them for the duration of the weekend.
Signed______Date ______
Encounter Youth Weekend Away
Essential Forms
Booking Form
Please book a place for ______at the Encounter Weekend Away 2013
I enclose a non-refundable deposit of £44/Full Payment of £88 (Delete as applicable)
OR
I made payment by internet banking on ______(Date)
Date of Birth of Young Person: ______
Church/Group Youth Leader ______
Activities Sign up
Please indicate your preference of activities below:
1 = I simply must do this activity
2 = I would like to do this activity
3 = I’m not bothered whether I do this activity or not
4 = There is no way I would do this…ever
Activity / Session / ScoreHigh Ropes / Session 1
Archery / Session 1
Zip wire/Abseiling / Session 1
Fencing / Session 1
Challenge Course / Session 1
Problem Solving / Session 1
Instructor Led Games / Session 2
Night Walk / Session 2
Campfire / Session 2
This is first come/first served. We will try our best to accommodate your first choices but the sooner you get your form in, the better chance you have of getting your favourite.
Photographs
Photographs will be taken throughout the weekend for the purposes of publicity and display at churches participating in the weekend.
If you would prefer that images of your child are not to be used in this way please tick here r
Medical Information
Please give details of any medical condition which, you consider the group leaders should be aware of. (Use overleaf if necessary) Please also include any food allergies or dietary requirements.
Encounter Youth Weekend Away
Parental Consent Form
ü I give permission for my son/daughter ______(insert their full name) to attend the Encounter Youth Weekend Away, and I agree to him/her taking part in all or any of the activities.
ü I certify that so far as I am aware my son/daughter is medically fit to undertake the journey to this event and to participate in the associated activities and there are no known health reasons why he/she should not do so (unless otherwise stated).
ü I authorise all medical treatment to be provided should this become necessary during the course of the event or journey.
ü I authorise Beks Rothnie, Tom Millington and Isla Gammell to be in loco parentis (in place of parents) for my son/daughter for the weekend.
ü I understand that those supervising my child are in loco parentis and must exercise a standard of care that would be expected of a reasonably prudent parent.
ü I understand that the supervising adults and any churches/organisations represented cannot be responsible for personal injury or any other damage or loss unless it is negligent, and that no liability exists in the case of pure accident.
ü I understand that my son/daughter must remain with the Encounter Youth Weekend Away group during the whole weekend and the journey and the churches/organisations involved cannot take responsibility for anyone who deliberately leaves the Whitemoor Lakes site without permission.
ü I understand that my son/daughter should participate fully in all the activities and meetings associated with the Encounter Youth Weekend Away, and keep all the other commitments on the associated “Young Person’s Good Behaviour Agreement”
Signature of Parent or Guardian: ______Date: ____/____/____
Name and Relationship to Young Person in BLOCK CAPITALS: ______
Full Address, Email and Contact Telephone Number:
______
______
______
Name of a Second Contact (in case we can’t contact you)
Name/Relationship to Young Person______Telephone ______
Encounter Youth Weekend Away
Hoodie Order Form - Optional
For the past few years many of the young people and leaders who attended the weekend away have ordered these fantastic hoodies (or T shirt) as an optional extra. This year they're available in red or grey and include your own wording on the back (up to 10 letters). If you would like to order then please fill in the form below and return it with the other forms. Please include the extra money to pay for the hoodie in your payment for the weekend.
The hoodies are an additional £18.50 each and the T shirts are £8.00 each.
Hoodies Booking Form
Type / Hoodie / T ShirtSize / Small / Medium
Large / X-Large
Colour / Red / Grey
Wording (one letter per box)
Name ______Amount Enclosed/Date of Payment by Internet Banking ______