Out of Sight, not Out of Mind

HOLIDAYS as THERAPY
“All work and no play is not good for any of
us. Holidays or time away from the same four
walls was important and therapeutic in itself.”
ALISON LAST
“I think the very first holiday was in the mid-
1960s. About 100 of them all went together.
We had corporation buses that took them and
their luggage to New Street Station. From
there carriages took them to Galston-on-Sea
near Great Yarmouth. Everyone came back and
said how wonderful it was.” EILEEN MCCANN
“We went on holiday to Blackpool and
Weston-super-Mare. It was a day trip,
which was OK, but by the time you get
there, it’s time to go back.” ROLAND
CLEWLEY (former resident)
“If the holiday was tailored to their
needs, you could have such a good time.
We went to Paris and it was awful. Back
then they didn’t really accept disabilities.
People would push and climb over you to
get on the train.”
SARAH BARNES
“I went with six residents and
another member of staff on a
coach trip to Austria. At the
same time another group were
going to Scotland by coach. They
all loved it and it was a really
good experience.”
LORRIE LENNON
“Some patients didn’t like
going on holiday and didn’t
want to go. Some would like
to have gone three times a
year.”
EILEEN MCCANN
Fundraising: The Earl Foundation raised money for holidays
for the patients and bought holiday homes in Weston, Tenby
and then a canal boat, which was moored in Alvechurch.