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Other than the annual OO London Dinner, there may be no other regular event in the
calendar that gathers as many OOs together as the Oundle Mencap Holiday (OMH) and it is with great pleasure that we are able to report on another fantastic week in 2019.
Having run for nearly 40 years, OMH has evolved massively since its humble beginnings. Initially held in New House with a small group of volunteers and children brought together by former Crosby Housemaster Richard Andrews, OMH is now a charity in its own right, affiliated with the national Mencap organisation and in 2019
again received an
‘outstanding’ grade from
Ofsted.
OMH prides itself not just on the holiday it provides for the children, but also on the respite care it offers parents and families, as well as the opportunities for young volunteers to experience and expand their understanding of disability often for the first time. This relaxed, safe (and hugely fun!) environment is the reason that many families and volunteers return year after year.
Over the years OMH has been incredibly proud to offer the holiday to children with a wide range of abilities. This has been bolstered by the addition of experienced ‘special helpers’, who are able to spend the
both Robin Banerjee (LS 00) and Ed Barker (F 02), who stepped back from the holiday in 2019.
As volunteers for 23 and 19 years respectively, very few people have done as much for OMH as Robin and Ed, who have both served the holiday in numerous roles.
In recent years they have been particularly pivotal in leading the two Houses that operate through the week and in managing both our Ofsted accreditation programme and our finances.
They have both served as trustees and put in an incalculable number of hours behind the scenes to make sure
that the summer holiday, camping holidays and St John’s School Community Holiday in Leatherhead can take place without a hitch.
Robin and Ed leave behind bottomless reserves of kindness, energy and compassion. Both have been adored by generations of holidaymakers and volunteers
These days OMH calls Wyatt and Kirkeby its home, and welcomes 40 children plus over twice that number of volunteers every year, with an ever-growing waiting list for spaces.
Volunteers and children in Heron Rogers Wood at the 2019 Oundle Mencap Holiday
However, as much as the
holiday has evolved, a look back through the photo archive will show you that nothing apart from haircuts and fashion has really changed. Richard and his team established a magical formula that is still very much the beating heart of OMH in 2019.
As such, the old favourites of trips to the beach at Hunstanton and Wicksteed Park were highlights of the week in 2019, along with swimming in the School pool, practising camping skills in Heron Rogers Wood, playing football and rounders, arts, crafts, music, baking, yoga, salsa dancing and dressing up for the end-of-week disco.
majority of the week with one child, and other volunteers, so that the children’s specific care needs can be met and that they can enjoy the holiday in whichever way they wish.
The 'special helper’ team – which included Tom Bailey (B 15), Cazzie Winterton (D 16), Livvie Collier (N 16), Craig Langsdale (L 16), James Alley (G 17) and Hope Brooks- Pollard (W 17) this year – proved an invaluable addition to the holiday and marked yet another step forward in OMH’s progress.
Equally, OMH relies on the commitment and dedication of its volunteers, so we must say an enormous thank-you in particular to
alike, so we would like to wish them both and their young families well, and are delighted that they will remain very much within the OMH family.
As for the future, big plans are afoot for 2019/20, with more fundraising, more events and possibly more holidays.
However, the very heart of the holiday established by Richard and his team nearly 40 years ago remains just the same. We look forward to seeing the haircuts being sported at OMH in another 40 years...
• For more information on any of our
holidays or to support OMH, please visit www.oundlemencap.co.uk.
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THE OLD OUNDELIAN 2018 –2019
FEATURE
The evolution of an
Oundle institution
Sam Cone (St A 05) reports on another fantastic week for Oundle Mencap Holidays
photo courtesy of Tessa Stanley-Price