Parkinson's UK Oxford Branch Parkinson's UK, our parent charity

January 2020

▲ Top of page ▲

Branch Holiday

 Jenyth Worsley

Thirty-four of us arrived at the Warner Leisure Hotel for a splendid break arranged by Martin Cowell. There was a plethora of things to do.

First, eat: the food was self-service from a central buffet. Breakfast included an array of fruit and juices, muesli, eggs, bacon, sausages, kippers, toast and little pots of marmalade or strawberry jam. (If you didn’t like the latter you needed to swap it for the former at another place setting.) Dinners were equally lavish.

The Hotel is set in beautiful grounds and countryside. It has a lake for fish or fishing and water fowl, a putting green, a maze, rare trees including a monkey puzzle and a sessile oak with a little door inset between the roots known as the Fairy Tree.

Also on offer was a swimming pool and gym, crossbow archery, air rifle shooting and ‘an evening of fun with Lisa’ which I didn’t undertake. Instead I watched Bohemian Rhapsody about Freddie Mercury and Queen in the cinema.

Some of us went on a coach trip to Hereford and to its mediaeval cathedral. It houses the famous late 13th/early 14th century Mappa Mundi (Cloth of the World) that depicts Jerusalem at the centre of the known world and Paradise at the top, with curious illustrations from classical and biblical literature. Our modern word map is derived from mediaeval maps made on a sheet or mappa.

The city itself is full of little lanes lined with shops of bric-a brac and antiques as well as the usual modern stores.

Jonathan, Sally, Alison and Beverley went further afield and, in their words, “had a grand day out visiting various ecclesiastical buildings and ruins (and a rather fine pub) to the south-west of Holme Lacy. They took in Cistercian Dore Abbey (converted to a church in 1600 after the Dissolution)”. The group then ventured into Wales and “visited the ruined Augustinian priory of Llanthony near Abergavenny, and little Kilpeck church with its astonishingly rich and well-preserved Norman carvings.”

Marian Holmes writes, “How delighted I felt to be asked by Pam Watson to join her in this lovely holiday with your Parkinson's group. A truly hardy, remarkable group of those affected and their carers. Also, a very great thank you to Mike Greenwood who drove us there and back as well as a day with him to Symonds Yat and Goodrich Castle. It was a great privilege to meet you all and witness your fortitude.”

Altogether it was a refreshing break and I look forward to next year's trip.

Quick contents