Meole Brace Estate day trip to Barmouth, UK - Travel Journal
Every time a customer books one of our vacations and opts in to our Trip for a Trip scheme, we organise a day trip for a disadvantaged young person somewhere around the world to see their local tourist sites, often for the first time.
Holy Trinity Church works in Meole Brace Estate in Shrewsbury to provide vital support for families and individuals. They run several weekly and monthly groups to provide practical needs to families living on the estate, from food donations to gardening and housework. They also run several clubs to provide emotional and social support for women, children and elderly people.
We partnered with Holy Trinity Church to take some of the disadvantaged children for a day trip to the beach in Barmouth, Wales.
Journal:
Date: 13th July 2019
Who: 24 children (2-18 years), 39 adults and 12 families!
Where: Barmouth
Diary of the day:
8am: The coach picked up the children and left for Barmouth. We had activities and games on the coach, including bingo, quizzes and an egg colouring competition.
10.45am: Arrived in Barmouth. The families had free time until 3.30pm to enjoy the beach.
3.30pm: We had a sandcastle building competition on the beach. Children aged 4-15 took part in the fun.
4.30pm: We all had a fish and chip supper.
5.30pm: The coach left Barmouth.
Impact:
The families had a great day. One woman said that it has helped her to build memories with her children that will last a lifetime. One single mother told us that it was the first time that she has taken her two young children (three and six years old) out for the day and it has given her confidence to do more things with them in the future. Some children had their grandparents with them and the grandparents also enjoyed being part of the day out.
Case study: A single mother was on the trip with three children aged six, eight and 10. The eldest boy has learning and behavioural issues, so the mum was a little nervous about the day, however the kids all behaved really well. When we arrived in Barmouth and people began going their separate ways for free time, the eldest son asked another family they knew from the estate if they could spend time together. At the end of the day the mother said that she was so pleased with her son, and that being with the other family gave them a real sense of community. For the children in this family, the sandcastle building competition was the highlight.
Quotes from the day:
Children:
"I caught a crab!"
"I had a great day!" (6 year old girl)
"It was really good day, I really liked the beach." (8 year old boy)
"The best bit was swimming in the sea." (6 year old girl)
About our partner organisation: The Family Vacation Association is the leading national charity dedicated to providing breaks and day trips for families struggling with some of the toughest challenges life can bring. It works with thousands of charities, social work departments, housing associations and NHS services who refer families in need of a break. In 2016 it helped over 11,000 children in 5,000 families get a short break or day out within the UK. For the majority of these families it was their first break away together and for over 1/3 was the first time that the children visited the beach.
We partnered with Holy Trinity Church to take some of the disadvantaged children for a day trip to the beach in Barmouth, Wales.
Journal:
Date: 13th July 2019
Who: 24 children (2-18 years), 39 adults and 12 families!
Where: Barmouth
Diary of the day:
8am: The coach picked up the children and left for Barmouth. We had activities and games on the coach, including bingo, quizzes and an egg colouring competition.
10.45am: Arrived in Barmouth. The families had free time until 3.30pm to enjoy the beach.
3.30pm: We had a sandcastle building competition on the beach. Children aged 4-15 took part in the fun.
4.30pm: We all had a fish and chip supper.
5.30pm: The coach left Barmouth.
Case study: A single mother was on the trip with three children aged six, eight and 10. The eldest boy has learning and behavioural issues, so the mum was a little nervous about the day, however the kids all behaved really well. When we arrived in Barmouth and people began going their separate ways for free time, the eldest son asked another family they knew from the estate if they could spend time together. At the end of the day the mother said that she was so pleased with her son, and that being with the other family gave them a real sense of community. For the children in this family, the sandcastle building competition was the highlight.
“
"I caught a crab!"
"I had a great day!" (6 year old girl)
"It was really good day, I really liked the beach." (8 year old boy)
"The best bit was swimming in the sea." (6 year old girl)
”
About our partner organisation: The Family Vacation Association is the leading national charity dedicated to providing breaks and day trips for families struggling with some of the toughest challenges life can bring. It works with thousands of charities, social work departments, housing associations and NHS services who refer families in need of a break. In 2016 it helped over 11,000 children in 5,000 families get a short break or day out within the UK. For the majority of these families it was their first break away together and for over 1/3 was the first time that the children visited the beach.
More about Trip for a Trip
- Read more about Trip for a Trip and other trips we've run.
- If you've booked a vacation via Responsible Travel, claim your booking gift to join our Trip for a Trip scheme.
