5th—7th July 2024 saw DSNE hold their annual residential weekend for our adult members. The weekend took place at Dukeshouse Wood, part of the Kingswood group, in Hexham, Northumberland. The weekend saw 26 members attend along with 7 leaders / helpers.

Accommodation was in bunk houses with the dorms having ensuite facilities. Leaders rooms were all single and ensuite. All food was provided by the centre in a school dining room facility.

Activities were planned by the centre to meet our groups needs. It was a tight programme of activities which kept everyone busy. Across the weekend we took part in a range of instructor led activities—examples include:
 Camp fire / toasting marshmallows
 Aeroball (basketball on trampolines)
 Fencing
 Archery
 Fire Lighting
 High Ropes
 Nightline
 Disco
 Rocket challenge (team building challenge)

Evening activities were ran by DSNE volunteers and included a number of games and a disco and party.

The weekend was a real success. The staff members at the centre were fantastic and engaged with our group and made the activities accessible. The food was nice —with many of our members going up for seconds. The range and standard of the activities was good. Every member had a go at each activity. It was lovely to see the encouragement everyone gave each other and the real team efforts to participate and make challenges work. Everyone developed confidence in the activates and tried their best.

Aeroball was a firm favourite amongst many, as was archery and the bonfire.

The weekend also developed independence skills, with some not being away from home without parents / carers before. The weekend developed independence skills in daily living skills and time management. Having to get up and be ready for specific times for food and activities. Members had to organise themselves for
what they needed across the day.

The activity programme was full on and left little spare time — however our members embraced this and were ready for the next activity.

Overall there was no major issues during the weekend. The adult members all had a great time and were a great asset to DSNE and to themselves. They were great ambassadors for Down’s Syndrome and DSNE.

A big shout out and thank you goes to the staff at Dukeshouse Wood who made the weekend work so smoothly. Also a big thank you to
the helpers / volunteers who gave their time and made this weekend possible. (Nicky Ramsay, Jack Ramsay, Sharmaine Fitzgerald and David Adams)

‘Kingswood was great to meet new friends’

‘My favourite was the campfire and the marshmallows’

‘I liked the archery’

If you would like to draw a picture, write an article, share a photograph, or tell us something exciting that has happened to you,  send it to nicky.ramsay@dsne.org.uk