Residential visits for Schools and Youth Groups
Do you want a group day trip or activity week with a difference, that will challenge your young people, and be enjoyed and remembered by all?
Othona?
Founded in 1946 in the aftermath of World War II, the centre at Bradwell in
Essex was established near the site of an old Roman fort from which the Community
gets its name. Started with temporary huts and tents, today we can boast a
purpose-built modern centre, in three acres of ground beside the Blackwater
Estuary, surrounded on the other three sides by countryside, farmland, and
coastal marshes.
It can be a difficult place to describe in words, there is a “you have to be there” aspect, but we believe Othona is a great place for children, as our large number of families would testify. Children can experience a breath of fresh air, away from the hustle and bustle of cities and towns, and can rediscover or find a new aspect of themselves. Community is about self-discovery , and respect and love for others.
Study
Othona is a place where children and young people can come and gain so much
for themselves and learn about others. The surroundings are full of interest
and could be used in a number of ways and for a variety of subjects: History,
Geography, Biology, RE and art. There is an abundance of local wild life ,
and nature trails can be organized with identification charts. Being located
near the site of a Roman Fort and the 7th. Century Saxon Chapel of St. Peter’s
allows one to absorb our ancient history. Inside the Centre there are facilities
for lessons, talks and discussions. We can provide equipment for presentations, art and craft activities, and fieldwork guides for nature studies.
The Centre lends itself as a place where personal development and team building
can be explored.
Every Child Matters
Here at Othona we are aware of the Government’s aim that every child
and young person , what ever their background or their circumstances, have
the support they need to:
* Be Healthy
* Stay Safe
* Enjoy and Achieve
* Make a Positive Contribution
* Achieve economic well-being
We aim to offer schools and youth centres a safe place where young people can work towards outcomes and goals. So please feel free to call and tell us your requirements for your visit. We will do all we can to help make your visit or stay, a happy and successful one.
Work - When the Community is in its busy periods, the day-to-day chores and tasks that are required are shared between the members, and the “pitching in” ethos is an important part of Othona. In an apparently increasingly selfish society, a visit to the Centre might be a child or young person’s first experience of helping in this way, encouraging them to think of others.
Play - Possibly the most important part as far as the children and young people are concerned. There is lots of this to be done at Othona, although it doesn’t involve X-boxes and PlayStations. We offer a range of equipment for outdoor games and sports, with books, toys and games for times when the weather isn’t so good. There is space for football, volleyball, rounders, cricket etc. The beach is only a five minute walk from the community though proper supervision is required by group leaders. Swimming and beach games are definitely possible.
Prayer - Othona welcomes people of all ages, all faiths and none. We are fortunate enough to have use of the nearby Chapel of St. Peters. This is a 7th Century building in which simple worship can take place if desired and this could form part of the experience for children and young people.
Groups of no faith or other faiths may find this useful from a historical aspect or as part of a religious education curriculum.
Othona
A uniquely stimulating environment with comfortable modern facilities is available
for residential educational visits at the Othona Community. We try to break
down barriers or race, creed, age, gender and disability with our simple lifestyle
of study, work, play and prayer.
Accommodation - We offer simple yet comfortable accommodation of dormitories and other rooms, to groups of differing sizes (anything from 5 to 40). We provide toilet and shower facilities, and there is adequate access for wheelchairs. Three meals are provided per day - simple food but lots of it! Menus can be tailored to suit individual groups (with prior consultation).
FEEDBACK
Lewis - I liked seeing things that we don’t always
see in Barking like crabs and worms. It was also quite good doing the drying
up because we don’t usually do the washing up. Also the staff at Othona
were really calm and relaxed, I liked that.
Seye - I enjoyed the chapel. I can’t believe it was
made in 654. I think it has been alive for 1351 years, that was incredible.
Furgan - When I went to the woods it was really exciting
but it was also scary but luckily Michael made me a lot braver which helped
me a lot.
Soraya - The long walk was very tiring, I loved the food,
I was having so much fun, I didn’t notice there was no TV.
David - Thank you for all the lovely things we have done,
I have got a lot more confident the last three days and would like to come
back.
Nadia - I had a wonderful and very comfortable sleep on my
bed. Thank you for providing a safe home and a wonderful garden. I loved playing
football out there.
