A largely warm and sunny week enabled the members of the Easter Oakley Holiday, held at Bilton Grange, Rugby, to enjoy a busy programme of indoor and outdoor activities in ideal conditions.

63 members, housed in nine comfortable dormitories, attended the week, from 9 to 16 April, including eleven who were on their first Oakley Holiday. We again benefitted from a first-class menu and meals provided by the school’s catering staff and enjoyed the beauties of the 160 acres of excellently prepared grounds and gardens where the flowering shrubs and trees were at their best.

Our main team games of volleyball and podex were especially enjoyed this week and the football and hockey tournament was also a highlight for many. In the afternoons the choice of 30 different activities included water polo, face painting, Chinese conversation, cycling, Mah Jongg, knitting, bowls and badminton.

A Murder Mystery around the house and grounds demanded energy, observation and much thinking and the younger members took part throughout the week in a lively series of activities on a superheros theme. The Oakley golf and tiddlywinks tournaments were very well contested as always.

By playing the World Feast Game we learned much about the differences between rich and poor countries and £480 was donated to three charities chosen by members of the Holiday by means of a special collection. A separate page, with photos, about these and other charity activitis, such as a Sock Parade, is on this website.

In discussion groups and through our evening services we thought about and debated a number of current personal, social, environmental and religious topics. These included the influence of money on sport, the life of Emmeline Pankhurst, the relevance of the Bible and the challenge of forgiveness - some followed by much appreciated and lively debate.

All the dormitories recorded their experiences of the week by illustrating nine huge banners which were paraded for everyone’s interest.

Most evenings were spent in the Ravenscroft Hall where members devised and performed a wide range of entertainment. This included musical solos on French Horn and trumpet, a string trio and piano performances as well as choral, solo, ensemble and community singing. Tap dancing, gymnastics, juggling, word quizzes and Call my Bluff and comedy sketches from all the dormitories were all on the bill. An evening of indoor games including charades, the Yes/No game and a music quiz was also popular.

On the final day the new Oakley members all received certificates and a book to mark their first holiday and the team of leaders made a donation of £80 to the Christchurch Earthquake appeal as they won a series of exotic and comical prizes drawn from Pandora’s Box.