The Gateway to Croyde

Earlier this month I was given the opportunity to be a leader for the Gateway club's annual holiday to Devon. More than 200 Mencap members from across the UK get together each year at a holiday village for goodtimes and not a small amount of friendly competition... members of our group won the fancy dress, connect four and swimming amongst other things - Woking cleaned up!

I had so much fun with this group of lovely people and though I was left physically and emotionally exhausted at the end of the week, I also left with a more open heart and better understanding of the Mencap posse. One thing that left a strong impression on me was being around so many people who were themselves 24/7 and didn't care who thought they were cool or not. I could learn a thing or two about that.

Awesome bits that come to mind...

Nick getting wrapped up in tin foil like a chicken drumstick

Ian one of the group remarking to a leader that "half of them are faking you know" when we were out on a trip within earshot of members of the general public

Members of the group shouting "MY AGE!" at any number under 30 during bingo every night

The Elvis tribute act getting members of our group a bit excited

The Lady Gaga tribute act having a wardrobe malfunction and getting everyone a bit more excited

Watching small children get sprayed with water full in the face with no warning by a mechanical dinosaur

Any time that Jolyon gave a salute or made a farting noise or both

Sitting next to Linda whilst she heckled a sheep shearer

A leader with another group looking so much like Rob Bell I actually thought he was for a few days

Cutting shapes on the dancefloor with Pat my 70-something chalet-mate who turned out to be a natural and talented bodypopper

All of the guys who dressed up as women for the fancy dress (not including the man dressed as Wonderwoman, that made me want to poke my eyes out)

The disco every night was like being at successive wedding receptions - cheesy music and a floor full of people who just didn't give two hoots what anyone thought and were out to have a rollicking good time. I didn't think I still knew the dances to Tragedy and the Macarena. I did. So did they. Heaven.

If you see an opportunity to get involved with Mencap or something similar, do it. If you don't love it I will give you a thousand dollars*

*not true but do it anyway.

Fancy dress night featuring Linda as a hot air balloon

Brian the caveman

Our winners Jolyon the scarecrow, Zoe the lion, Pete the Dorothy and Nick the tinman

with my clown buddy Pat before we let loose on the dancefloor.

I wish I had a photo of that.

And what have you come as?

I am more than a little jealous of Wally's hat

Elvis belting it out

My other chalet-mate Rona

Getting drenched in dinosaur spit and loving it

The best photo of a live sheep you have ever seen

And the leaky dinosaur...

Rollin', Rollin', Rollin' on the riverrrrrrrr

Boardstore got the start of a facelift last week with Boris and Kodan heading up the knock through into the Gallery. Making a big hole in a breeze block wall turned out to be more work than Big B expected but the boys got 'er done and it looks awesome. The gallery will now house our longboards, scooters and protective products, leaving the main shop core skate. Whilst the boys were making use of the power tools I seized the opportunity offered from emptying the shoe wall on account of the dust to paint the slat wall tango orange (why not?). This led inevitably to painting of other areas which now looked a bit grubby. There's still work to do but the space we now have is most excellent.

Super much thanks to Kodan, Esther, Isaac, Melody and Blair for helping out you are all very excellent and well done Boris for managing to use power tools safely after two nights of little sleep. Nice one.