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CHECT Members’ Weekend 2020 FAQs

We’ve included extra information and questions here that we feel may help answer some of your queries about the CHECT Members’ Weekend. However if your question isn’t here, or your would like to know more information about anything in particular, please email events@chect.org.uk or call the CHECT office on 0207 377 5578 (9am-5pm Mon-Fri).

Accessibility

Do you provide an assistant for visually impaired people?

Unfortunately, we are unable to provide assistants for the event, however we are doing our best to operate a ‘buddy’ system to provide some help and assistance. If you have any specific needs in this context please get in touch via events@chect.org.uk or by calling 0207 377 5578 and we will do our best to support you.

Are there accessible rooms available?

We do have a limited number of accessible rooms available on the ground floor. Please email events@chect.org.uk to notify us that you require an accessible room.

Which activities are suitable for those with a visual impairment?

All activities except abseiling and fencing (for health and safety reasons) are suitable for those with a visual impairment.

Can I bring my guide dog?

Yes, guide dogs are very welcome.

Activities

Can adults join in with the outdoor activities?

Yes absolutely. Some activities are specifically for children and are therefore given priority to children. If there is a particular activity you are interested in then please register your interest in the booking process and we will do our best to meet your request.
Parents not taking part in an activity, but who wish to go along to watch and support their child, are always welcome to do so and do not need to book an activity slot for themselves.

What are the activity breakdowns per age page?

Under five years old:
Arts & Crafts, Boccia, Cake Decorating, Children’s Fancy Dress Disco, Cinema, Dance Workshop, Face Painting, Hair & Nail Salon, Music Workshop, New Age Kurling, Running Lines, T-Ball Rounders, T-Shirt Painting,

Ages five to six:
Aeroball, Arts & Crafts, Boccia, Cake Decorating, Children’s Fancy Dress Disco, Cinema, Challenge Course, Dance Workshop, Face Painting, Goalball, Hair & Nail Salon, Music Workshop, New Age Kurling, Orienteering, Problem Solving, Running Lines, Sensory Trail, T-Ball Rounders, T-Shirt Painting

Ages seven and over:
Any PGL Outdoor Activity (abseiling & Fencing not suitable for those with a visual impairment)
Arts & Crafts, Boccia, Cake Decorating, Children’s Fancy Dress Disco, Cinema, Dance Workshop, Face Painting, Goalball, Hair & Nail Salon, Indian Head Massage (Teens), Look Good Feel Better (Teens), Music Workshop, New Age Kurling, Running Lines , T-Ball Rounders, T-Shirt Painting, Yoga

Adults (age 18 and over):
Any PGL Outdoor Activity (abseiling & Fencing not suitable for those with a visual impairment)
Cheese & Wine, Coffee Corner, Indian Head Massage, Music Workshops, Pampering Room, Parent Session, Yoga
(Parents are also welcome to go along to watch/support their child in any of their activities.)

Will there be a crèche?

Unfortunately we are unable to provide a crèche for the weekend, however parents are welcome to bring along their younger children to many of the indoor activities.

Is there a theme for the fancy dress children’s disco?

Children are welcome to dress up in whatever fancy dress they choose and there is no specific theme. However if a child does not want to dress up, they of course don’t have to.

Will food be provided at the children’s disco?

There will be very limited snacks available, and of course most of the children will be joining their parents in the cafeteria for their evening meal.

My child is tall for their age, are they able to join in with the activities for older children?

Unfortunately no, due to health and safety restrictions. 

Are there height restrictions on the activities?

There are height restrictions on some of the activities. The age restrictions have been designed to help with this – however if your child is the recommended age but is too small for the safety equipment, they unfortunately won’t be able to take part due to health and safety. PGL staff will make an assessment of your child’s eligibility to take part when they are fitted with their safety equipment.

Can I choose which activities I would like my children to take part in?

Yes, you will be sent a follow-up booking form which will allow you to plan the activities you wish to take part in. They must be within the age group specified for that activity on the date of the event.

Who is responsible for my child(ren) during the weekend?

Parents/carers are responsible for their children throughout the event. PGL’s outdoor activities will have a trained supervisor leading them who has had an advanced DBS and background check for working with children. For more information about this, please visit PGL’s safe operating standards page.

How do I choose my activities?

Nearer the time, we’ll send you your pre-arrival pack, which will include details of how to pre-book your activities for the weekend. We strongly encourage you to book in advance to make sure you get your first choice.

What clothes should we wear for activities?

CHECT and PGL suggests bringing items such as:

• Several changes of underwear and socks – long socks not ‘trainer’ socks are required for some activities
• Plenty of old sweatshirts/fleeces
• Plenty of strong, loose-fitting trousers/tracksuit bottoms
• 1 or 2 complete changes of clothes for the evenings
• Plenty of long sleeved shirts / t-shirts
• Shoes for wet or muddy activities – canvas / plastic / old trainers / wellington boots or walking boots
• Waterproof cagoule/jacket
• Trainers – at least one pair not open toed
• Hair bands/ ties
• (optional) children’s fancy dress outfit for the children’s disco.

Do I have to bring any special equipment?

PGL and CHECT will provide all the specialist equipment that is essential for activities. PGL also ensure that participants in the outdoor activities are kitted out with activity equipment that conforms to British or European standards.

Accommodation

My child would like to stay in a room with their friend(s) – is this possible?

We organise room allocations by families but if you have some additional requirements, please email us at events@chect.org.uk and we will see if we are able to accommodate you. For all bookings, to allow us more time to allocate rooms appropriately, we encourage you to purchase your tickets as early as possible.

I’m attending the event on my own, do I get a room to myself?

For those travelling alone, we are able to provide a limited number of single rooms.

I’m bringing my baby/toddler. Do I need to bring my own travel cot?

Yes, unfortunately we are unable to provide travel cots, so please ensure you bring your own.

Do I need to bring towels?

Towels are not provided, so you will need to bring your own.

Do I need to bring bedding?

Bedding is provided.

Will there be tea and coffee in the room?

There will be tea and coffee available in your accommodation’s common room and in the main venue, but unfortunately not in your room.

Am I free to wander the grounds?

Of course! The grounds of the venue are beautiful and there to be explored. Please be aware that there are open lakes, so young children must be supervised by an adult at all times.

Transport

Will transport be provided to and from Swindon train station?

CHECT will not be providing transport. However, there are taxis available from Swindon Station and a number of taxi services available locally. There are also a very limited number of Uber taxis operating in and around Swindon. The journey is about 18 minutes’ taxi ride away from the venue.
We highly recommend booking a taxi in advance for your return journey on Sunday.

Is parking available?

Yes, there is plenty of free parking available at the PGL site.

Food and drink

Does my ticket include all food and drink?

Each ticket includes a breakfast, lunch and dinner in the cafeteria, soft drinks and tea and coffee. The wine at the cheese and wine tasting is also included. The only items that aren’t included are items purchased from the bar or from the gift shop and vending machines.

Do you cater to dietary requirements and allergies?

PGL can cater to most dietary requirements including coeliac, diabetic, food allergies and vegetarian/vegan options. Please notify us in advance at events@chect.org.uk so that we can inform PGL of any dietary requirements or allergies you may have. For more information and to view example menus, please visit the PGL website.

Are there highchairs?

There are a limited number of high chairs available, so please notify us in advance at events@chect.org.uk if you would like one.
However, you will need to bring extras such as baby cutlery with you.

Can I drink alcohol?

Alcohol isn’t allowed in the dining room, however CHECT will be setting up a licensed bar at the venue on both Friday and Saturday nights where you can enjoy an alcoholic beverage. This isn’t included in the price of your stay, so you will need to pay for any drinks consumed in the bar.
We will also be hosting a cheese and wine session for adults to enjoy.

Tickets and T-shirts

When is the last chance to buy tickets?

The last chance to buy tickets will be 2nd August 2020 at 10pm.

Do I need an Eventbrite account to buy tickets?

You do not need an account, however Eventbrite will automatically set one up for you as part of your registration for this event. If you already have an account with Eventbrite, you can login at the point of purchase.

Do I need to pay for everything in one go?

No, if you would like to choose to pay in instalments, please select ‘send invoice’ at checkout and a member of the events team will contact you to arrange your payment plan. The total payment must be received by 2nd August 2020.

I forgot to buy T-shirts with my tickets, is it too late?

No, you can re-visit the buy tickets link right up until 2nd August to purchase T-shirts. However, we have a limited amount of T-shirts in various sizes, so we advise that you reserve yours as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

When do I receive my T-shirts?

T-shirts are to be collected during the event.

Why are your prices cheaper than the ones on the PGL website?

We would like as many people to come to this event as possible, which is why we are heavily subsidising ticket costs. For anyone that wishes to contribute more to the cost of the event, there is an option to do so during the booking process on Eventbrite.

What is your refund policy?

If we need to cancel the event for any reason, a full refund will be given to anyone who has already paid for tickets up to 30 days before the event. This mirror’s PGL’s refund policy. If you book tickets but are then no longer able to attend, please let us know ASAP by calling us on 020 7377 5578 or emailing events@chect.org.uk. We regret that we will not be able to give a refund after this time.