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Booking your FACT course
For all you need
to know about booking your stay at Tollesbury, choose from the following:
How we do your booking
Booking
form (as pdf only)
Fees
tarriff
Conditions
of booking
Kit
list
Group
leader's booking info
Group
leader's briefing
Teacher's
briefing
INTRODUCTION
These notes are designed to help you enjoy and make the most of your visit to Fellowship Afloat. They are also available for download as a pdf.
ARRIVAL AND WELCOME
On arrival we will meet you in our car park and assist you and your luggage for the five-minute walk to Trinity. After settling everyone in, we will have some introductions and talk through with the group the rules of the centre and safety aspects.
FELLOWSHIP AFLOAT STAFF
During your stay, you will be looked after by both permanent staff and sessional volunteers, all of whom are trained and familiar with life on board and the various specialist activities. Some staff live in their own quarters on Trinity. Fellowship Afloat staff take full responsibility for the organisation of domestic arrangements and activities. The highest priority is given to the safety and comfort of visitors. In matters of safety and discipline, the Director or his deputy's judgement must be accepted as final. Group leaders are expected to support the leadership of Fellowship Afloat.
GROUP LEADER RESPONSIBILITY
While at Fellowship Afloat, you are responsible for the control and discipline of your group, particularly at night – though Centre staff are always available. Responsibility for various parts of the programme or times in the day may be delegated to group leaders – this would be agreed by prior arrangement. Smoking and the consumption of alcohol are not permitted on board.
ORGANISATION
Each morning at 8.00am, the Fellowship Afloat staff team and group leaders meet together in the 'Lookout' to discuss the day's programme. We also share a brief 'thought for the day' and a few informal prayers. During this time it will be necessary for you to have one or two leaders supervising the group.
PROGRAMME DESIGN
It is essential that, prior to the visit, group leaders think seriously about their expectations and requirements for the booking and communicate them to Fellowship Afloat. The programme can then be tailor-made to suit your group. Fellowship Afloat offers a wide range of activities, such as sailing, raft building, team-building exercises, wide games, art & craft and sports. One primary factor to be considered is the tide times, as these affect our water activity schedules. Dinghy sailing usually commences 1 April and finishes at the end of October. All water activities are run according to the Royal Yachting Association codes of teaching and safety practice. Fellowship Afloat offers RYA dinghy sailing levels 1,2,3 and 5 and Powerboat levels 1 and 2, and the Safety Boat course. Many recreational weekend groups do not follow our RYA Certificate course although basic instruction is always given. All visitors are welcome to participate in the Christian life of the Centre. Sometimes group leaders provide the spiritual input – other times we will take the lead. Typically, we have a 'thought for the day' at breakfast, an evening epilogue and a service on Sundays. Please talk with our staff before your visit to discuss the spiritual programme.
ON-BOARD FACILITIES
- Coffee & tea. Facilities are always available in the galley
- Washing machine and drying room. Available for visitors – see a staff member for instructions
- Telephone. A payphone is available on board Trinity (01621 869779); you are welcome to make full use of it and receive incoming calls too.
- Presentations. TV, video, whiteboard, OHP and flipchart are available for use.
- For sleeping. Foam pillows and pillowcases are provided for each individual.
RADIOS AND CASSETTES
We discourage use of radios and personal stereos on board; apart from the obvious distraction they easily get lost and broken.
MEALS
You are invited to sit, along with our staff, amongst the group at meal times. We always wait for everyone to arrive for the meal before starting – even when people are bleary eyed in the morning; one of our staff will organise the saying of grace and introduce the serving arrangements. After the meal, a few notices will be presented and teams for jobs will be announced. We encourage everyone to remain at the table until this point. Please ensure that any special diets are requested before you visit.
DAILY JOBS
Fellowship Afloat thrives on enthusiastic participation of visitors; meal times are a focus for some essential but simple tasks:
- laying tables for the meal
- washing-up (thankfully we have a dishwasher to assist)
- vacuum cleaning the saloon
- taking rubbish and empty milk bottles to the road.
We will organise the rota and look for the full support of accompanying leaders.
SHOP AND POCKET MONEY
We have a small souvenir shop on board, items 60p to £3.50, also Trinity garments – T-shirts £6.50, sweatshirts £13.00. Sweets and drinks can be bought in the village. We suggest pocket money should be about £5.00 (unless a T-shirt is required). If an RYA certificate course is followed and a Log Book and certificate are required, this cost will be charged extra to the booking.
PROGRAMME EVALUATION
We are constantly striving to improve and develop our service so, at the end of your stay, we will ask you to fill in and return to us a feedback form with any comments and suggestions for the future.
