Holy Trinity Church Huddersfield, Friday 15th to Sunday 17th June 2018

It is Fathers’ Day, but I am tired out by having been on the Church Family Weekend. Around 100 of us made the trip down to the Midlands, to the Hayes Conference Centre in Swanwick, Derbyshire, for a time of learning, worship, fellowship and fun.

Richard Pennystan, who we borrowed from St Chads, Romily for the weekend led in a way that was both challenging and good natured, a rare combination.

One comment I heard at the last meal was that unlike other church weekends the person speaking ( a retired vicar) had been to, ours had the greatest mix of ages and backgrounds that he had seen.

As for Hayes itself, it has a great setting, not least because it is very handy for the M1 motorway, and once there the centre was an old house with modern meeting and accommodation blocks added, set in beautiful gardens, formal close to the house and then lots of fantastic mature trees further out, which looked fantastic viewed directly, and in the early evening even more stunning viewed in the centre’s lake. Sorry, I forgot to mention this: They have a lake.

Personal reflections

It was great for me.

Being on the Autistic Spectrum meant that being amongst people for such a long time was hard work. It really drained the energy from me, but that didn’t mean I slept. I needed the solitude in order to recharge my batteries, the first night it was coming light before I went to sleep, the second night I slept longer, and the Saturday afternoon free time was spent sleeping too. So 10 hours sleep over the whole weekend.

I am not complaining. It was great, really great for me.

Getting back home on Sunday evening I drifted in and out of sleep over 5 hours then went to bed. Nine hours sleep. Now on Monday I have a morning of solitude, writing this blog is my therapy. I’m feeling good, if still a little tired.

A good weekend. For those who were there with me I am not being critical, it was great speaking to you.