Residential 2010

[barkingmad]

Hi all,

I thought we could start a thread where people can see if they can join up to share a room out of choice rather than being allocated someone to share.

The sales of the tickets have now started and the booking forms are in with the newsletters that have been sent out just recently. I will need a deposit and the form returned, preferably with the name of someone you want to share with, so I can do my best to match you all up.

There are only a few disabled rooms with full access, so please dont ask for a room unless you are desperately in need of one. No one can book rooms directly with the hotel I am afraid, so please go through the HMSA office where I will do my best to help. (please remember that it can take a few days for me to call you back).

Lindsey will also set up a booking form in the members only section. Tickets for non-members will go on sale after the 15th July on a first come first served basis. And then Lindsey will provide a link to the booking form here.

Please try to link up with someone who you wouldnt mind sharing with as I cant provide single rooms. The HMSA has to cover all its costs which means we need to fill all the beds if possible. However if we do have spare places day delegates will also be invited to apply for a place.

TC Donna

[gila]

couple of, sorry whingey!, qs

is there a sheltered-from-the rain area in the grounds where you can smoke?

are there any shops and also pubs that do food nearby ? google earthing it it seems to be a mile or so outside of a v small village...so not that hopeful... so would have to be super organised to bring stuff for all eventualities...

any idea if the mattresses are as hard as at last year's place (think they were orthopaedic mattresses) ?

and a big SPOILT (from last year) whinge- no pool, no jacuzzi and only 3 bathtubs in the whole building
as lovely as acres of grounds are... after a night on a poss hard mattress and a whole day of mostly sitting...
this bendy needs a warm bath or swim to be able to at all enjoy any walking...
whinge whinge whinge
xxg

[barkingmad]

big sigh! this isnt going to be easy is it?

There is more than likely people with cars who will happily share with others if they want to access shops, pubs etc. That is what happened at the last residential even though there was additional facilities within walking distance.

the mattresses I dont know, but I will ask,

yes there is no smoking in the building but I dont know if they have a sheltered area outside

the grounds are lovely, and more importantly safe for younger members

and we didnt know until this week that only 4 bathrooms exist, the rest being ensuite showers.

I will call the hotel and find out the answers to the questions I dont know and then post here. If anyone else has any questions please do post them and I will do my best to get all the answers ahead of time.

[jojackson]

I'm hoping to be able to come, and all being well (not having any important limbs forcibly out of action - plaster cast, sling, etc.) will probably bring the car. I'd be happy to car-share for the journey if anyone wants to arrange that nearer the time.

Can't remember where I saw this suggestion, but it's possible to get very cheap memory foam mattress toppers - under £30, which might be a cunning plan if the beds are likely to be hard. Planning for going away, even for a weekend, can be so difficult!

[poppy]

i'm coming with my mum, good thing she'll likely be staying too and not just dropping me off there cos if theirs no bath and i dont have anyone to help me i'd have to stay stinky hopefully it'll all go to plan and she can come with me, i'm sure with my mum to help me i'll figure out a way to have a shower. i've sent the form off already and asked for disabled room because i really am quite a wreck, my mum isn't though so if need be i can share a room with someone else who needs disabled room but my mum may have to come in to help me sometimes. not sure whether we'll have room in the car to give anyone a lift. mum sent an email to the hotel asking about what their is in disabled rooms, like grab rails and stuff but she got a reply back saying they'd tell her what was in the room we're given once we've been assigned a room so until we know what their is we don't know whether we need to take half a car full of stuff to try to prevent me having any accidents whilst i'm there.

[barkingmad]

Thank you Poppy for agreeing to share if needed. I will book a disabled room for you and we will take it from there, nearer the time I will be able to tell you which room you are in and what is in it.

[poppy]

great thanks wont matter to me too much if i end up having to get my mum to help me in the shower, i mean i survived the embarassment of having to get my dad to lift me out of the bath once after i'd asked him loads of times to get a bath rail before i visited but he hadnt bothered because he still thinks theirs nothing wrong with me so compared to that my mum helping me wash will be nothing, plus if things keep going the way at her work as they are she may soon be my carer so needs to get used to doing things like washing my hair for me.
anyone whos sat near me at the residential when i'm eating will be pleased to know that my jaw hasnt dislocated in about 2 months! it used to do some rather impressive clunking but now it hardly ever does although it still clicks sometimes. so hopefully i wont be putting anyone off their food (got told at a pub once that i were putting someone off their food with all the noise i were making!) although you're probably all used to clunks and wouldnt bat an eyelid. i didnt even get odd looks last year when my hips were playing up so i were laid on the floor with my feet up on the wheelchair

[sheppeyescapee]

I'm hoping to come, should be able to send payment when my DLA comes in

[roqchiq]

Hubby and I will be driving over from Birmingham so can offer someone a lift if needed. Send me a pm if you're interested.

Was too ill to go to previous residentials so I'm really looking forward to meeting up with everyone this year!

[hannah]

Just wondering: I will be using a wheelchair, but I reckon I could be OK without a disabled room - I can bumshuffle the stairs OK
But is there somewhere near the foot of the stairs that I could leave my chair while I am upstairs?

[WinonaLemonade]

does the hotel have a lift? just thought that it would be handy if people don't get ground level

[barkingmad]

Hi yes the hotel does have a lift,

[poppy]

just have to hope the lift is working! i think i'm gonna start writing a list soon of what i might need with me, i always forget a few things so if i start a list this early i might actually take everything i could possibly need! i usually forget something like my wrist brace which i'm quite likely to need seen as we have a nice big car i wont be needing a disabled room after all. mum said someone from HMSA had phoned today and then after i'd had a little think i figured actually i should be able to manage in a non disabled room because my mum can help me if needs be and with us coming down in the car i can bring a whole load of grab rails, raised toilet seat and frame so i can actually get off the loo (my mum might get some funny looks carrying those to my room ) whereas others who are travelling by train couldnt really bring things like that with them, well i guess they could try, could be quite amusing all the funny looks and comments but would be rather dificult to bring everything you needed!
i have a question, i do quite a lot of cross stitch and might have some small cross stitches finished and made into cards. could i sell them at the residential? i would want the money back for what it cost in materials so i'm not losing money but at least 50% of the money from selling them i'd give to the HMSA. i cant promise that i will have some to sell though because i'm going to a singing competition in june or july (cant remember which month) and am hoping to be able to sell some there but i will try to get some done

[hannah]

Poppy, I doubt you'll get funny looks carting that lot to your room - more likely everyone else will be trying to smuggle equally odd looking stuff into their rooms or saying gleefully "Hey, I've got one of them" or jealously "oooh, I need one of them, must ask her about it later". I do so love it when everyone around is bendy. Normal suddenly becomes proper normal

[loosebones]

Can we have a splint swap shop? I would be willing to organise it but the idea would be for people to donate unwanted splints and supports and either swap splints they don't need for ones they do, or to make a donation to the HMSA. I also thought about bringing cakes - of the 'free from' variety as a lot of us have food intolerances/allergies and again a donation could go towards the HMSA.

What does anyone think?