Welcome to
Faringdon
Community College
Thank you all for coming this
evening; the purpose of which
is to give you some information
about the Year 8 & 9
Residential visit to La Beaume.
It will include information
on the following:
 Acorn Adventure
 Activities
 Dates
 Valuables
 Address & telephone
 Discipline
 Staffing
 Smoking & Alcohol
 Accommodation
 Food
 Finance
 Travel
 Safety
 Health
 Clothing
Welcome to Acorn Adventure
What else do we do?
 Family Holidays
 Fantastic activity & skiing holidays for
all the family
 Ski
 Skiing and snowboarding trips to Italy,
France, Austria, Canada & the USA
 India
 Activity trips whilst experiencing the
magic of India!
 Encounters Europe
 Educational tours for schools & youth groups
 theschooltravelcompany.com
 School trips the easy way!
Acorn Venture Ltd.
 Started in 1982 by a teacher, to give children a unique,
life-changing and educational experience
 The UK’s largest independent school travel company
 The UK’s biggest provider of adventure camps for
schools and groups
 Eight centres in five countries
 Dedicated to making a positive difference to the lives of
young people
 I have used Acorn many times before and always
had reliable and professional service
Dates of the visit
Friday 5th August
to
Saturday 13th August 2011
Where are we going?
 Ardres, Opal Coast
 Labeaume, Ardèche
Address
First Night
Remaining nights
Acorn Adventure
Acorn Adventure
Base de Voile
Camping La Savane
Rue de Palentin
07120 Labeaume
62610 Ardres
Telephone
0121 504 2050
(Acorn Adventure
Office – for emergency
contact only)
Ardres
 Ardres is one of Acorn’s premier
watersports centres and is located in a
delightful area of France, within easy
reach of the UK – only 43 miles, 25 miles
from Calais.
 This exclusive centre has a superb lakeside
setting just outside the town. This large
tranquil lake enables Acorn to provide a
flexible watersports programme. The
exciting activities on offer range from
kayaking and sailing to dragon boating!
Labeaume
 Our large, spacious and exclusive centre offers excellent
facilities including a swimming pool, playing fields,
football pitch, boules court and café/bar. It is set in the
heart of the Ardèche region, famed for the magnificent
limestone gorge and beautiful river, but there is also
plenty to explore in the surrounding areas which have
retained a strong Roman influence.
 The unforgettable and exhilarating 2 day descent of the
Ardèche River by open canoe is the highlight of adventure
at Labeaume. The night of the 2 day descent is spent
sleeping under the stars at a bivouac site on the banks of
the river in the heart of the gorge.
 The descent of the Ardèche is complemented by other
fantastic water-based activities such as kayaking, river
trek and canoeing; and also a great range of land-based
activities.
Travel
 We will meet in the Science Block Reception on Friday 5th August at
13.00 (1pm) the coach will leave at 13.30. Dover to Calais crossing 18.40.
 Arrive Ardres 21.30 Evening meal on arrival
 Depart Ardres 21.30 Travel through the night, Lunch on arrival at
Labeaume at approx 12.00
 (A drink in a plastic drinks container will be needed for use during the week).
 Travel sickness tablets will be needed for the outward and return
journeys and the Day Excursion
 Depart Labeaume 18.00 Travel through the night. Ferry from Calais 07.05
0n Saturday 13th August
 We should arrive back at FCC on Saturday 13th August at about
11.30. Students may be collected from the Science Block
Telephone tree
 We will use a ‘telephone tree’ to send messages
about our arrival and our expected return time.
 Please could you indicate this evening if you
are willing to be a ‘key contact’ who will be
responsible for passing on a message to a small
number of parents
 Please could you let me know if you do not
wish to be included in the ‘telephone tree’.
Staffing
 F.C.C. Staff - Nona Lewis, Chris Lewis, Neil
Jukes, Claire Pullinger
 Other adults –Paul Keen
 Centre Manager
 Senior Instructor
 Instructors
 Support and Administration staff
Acorn Staff
 All staff are recruited in the UK and are
CRB-checked,
 They all go through a rigorous training
programme
 Instructors are In-House trained and
qualified for any specialist activities they
lead.
Risk and hazard
 Some degree of risk is unavoidable if a
sense of adventure and excitement is to be
achieved, but it should be – and invariably
is – much less than the participant
perceives.
 As was suggested by the MP, David
Jamieson, it is important to remember that
we seek to provide: “EXCITEMENT but not
DANGER – ADVENTURE but not HAZARD.”
Safety Management
 Safety is paramount.
 Acorn is a founding member of the School
Travel Forum,
 Our UK centres are licensed by the
Adventurous Activity Licensing Authority,
 We are a member of ABTA and licensed by
ATOL.
Safety
 All courses are staffed by qualified,
competent and experienced instructors who
hold an impressive array of nationally
recognised specialist qualifications. Centre
staff will have responsibility for the
‘Adventure’ activities.
 All students will be provided with the
appropriate safety equipment for the
activity.
 NL & some other FCC staff are qualified in
First Aid.
Behaviour
 Good behaviour is expected at all times,
co-operation is required at all times
 In the unlikely event of any serious misconduct,
the Centre Manager may contact parents and
ask that their child be removed from the Centre
 The usual School Rules will apply and any
breaches, or issues, will be dealt with by
Centre and/or School staff, as appropriate
Smoking & Alcohol
 Smoking is forbidden at all times.
 Apart from the health risk, the fire risk in a
Residential centre could have the most severe
consequences.
 Contravention of this rule may result in
students being sent home early at
parent/student cost.
 The same applies to the consumption of alcohol.
The Acorn Village
 Sixteen or more tents in a horse-shoe shape;
 All tents visible to Party Leaders;
 A central marquee;
 Play area;
 Exclusive occupancy
for 40+.
The Tents
 Fire & water resistant, rigid framed PVC
tents;
 Solid flooring;
 Sprung beds with foam
mattresses;
 Usually sleeping four.
Students must bring a sleeping
bag and pillow
A Typical Day
 8 am
Wake up
 8:30 am
Breakfast
 9:30 am
First activity session
 1 pm
Lunch
 2:30 pm
Second activity session
 6 pm
Dinner
 7:30 pm
Evening activities
Activities
 Students will work in small groups of about 10 for
most of their activities
 There will be a two-day Canoe descent of the
Ardèche, a Day Excursion and a selection taken from
 Kayaking
 Raft Building
 Caving
 Bushcraft
 Climbing
 Abseiling
 Bivouac
 River Trek
 Swimming
 Mission Impossible
 Day Excursion
Clothing
 Everything taken must be clearly named.
 Good sensible footwear is vital.
 One old pair of trainers or wet suit boots/shoes
and lightweight windproof/waterproof jacket
for using during the water sports activities.
 No-one should go to undue expense to buy new
items, students may wear old clothes for activities
but will need to dress tidily for meals.
 Please ensure that students have warm clothes with
them for wearing in the evenings and at night.
 Sufficient changes of underwear
and socks (at least 4)
 Clothing for wearing around the
Centre and Disco clothes
 Pyjamas, nightdress (warm)
 Towel (x2)
 Warm trousers for outdoor wear,
such as track suit bottoms and
shorts (no jeans, x3)
 Swimming trunks or costume
 Outdoor coat, gloves and hat
 Toilet bag (soap, shampoo,
facecloth, toothbrush, toothpaste,
brush and/or comb)
 Strong walking shoes and/or
trainers, flip-flops
 One old pair of trainers or wet suit
boots/shoes and lightweight
windproof/waterproof jacket for
using during the water sports
activities
 T-shirts and/or jumpers
 Warm sweatshirts, hoodies and/or
fleeces (x3)
 Sleeping bag, single fitted sheet
and pillow
 Sun hat and sun lotion
 Drink container (plastic)
 Pencil case, travel games, book,
etc.
 Large plastic bag for dirty clothes.
(x2)
 Torch (and spare batteries)
 Camera (disposable)
Valuables
Mobile phones should NOT be taken.
They will be confiscated if seen
All valuables, e.g. cameras, personal music
devices, should be named if possible and
the students must take responsibility for
them at all times. They will be confiscated
if used inappropriately
Passports
 Your own passport is required. Apply now if
you do not have a current personal passport
 These will be collected before the end of
term. If you need to use it before we travel
please let me know
 Please inform me if an EU passport is not held
 You will need to have a current EHIC these
can easily be applied for on the internet or via
the Post Office
Health
 Aerosols should not be brought
 The Health Form must be completed and
returned by Friday 1st July 2011
 Any medication must be sent in a named
container and handed to Ms Lewis before
we leave
 Inhalers should be kept by the students and
kept with them at all times
 Travel sickness tablets will be needed for the
outward, Day Excursion and return journeys
Your Marquee
 Meeting Point
 Social Area
 Communal Dining Area
Food
 Chewing gum is banned!
 We need to know about any allergies
and/or special dietary requirements
before we go
 There is no need to send any additional food
 Money will be required to purchase
something for breakfast on our way to
Labeaume
The Food
 BREAKFAST
 Choice of cereals
 Bread, butter & jam
 Yoghurt or croissants
 LUNCH
 Buffet with meats, cheese and salads
 Cake or biscuits
 DINNER
 Substantial hot meal
 Vegetarian option
 Pudding
And not forgetting …
Community responsibilities
Each child is expected to assist with some
domestic duties, e.g. clearing the tables
after meals, washing up!
Students are also expected to contribute
towards the general neatness and tidiness
of the Centre
 Students are expected to keep their tents
tidy
Finance
 Many thanks to those who have now paid in full all
payments should now have been paid as the balance has
been paid to Acorn
 Any outstanding payments should be made by
Tuesday 28th June.
 Pocket money should be in small denomination
notes if possible and given to Group Leaders on
our departure day. This will be kept by them whilst
we are travelling and in a safe when we are at the
Centre. It will be returned to students in small
amounts when needed. I suggest a maximum of
£80.00.
Any Questions?
Questions
If you have any questions please feel free
to ask tonight or contact me via email
nolewis@fcc.oxon.sch.uk or via the
College Office.
Thank you for coming this evening and we
very much hope that you, and your child,
will greatly enjoy “The Acorn Adventure.”
Please sign in so I know who has been
represented this evening and if you can help
with the telephone tree