Just like last year, we once again travelled with a group of young people from Hnízdo Community School to the Camphill community of Esk Valley in the United Kingdom. We renewed the friendships that had begun during our first visit and once again had the opportunity to become part of the community’s everyday life. We were able to make this journey thanks to our own fundraising efforts, the support of our parents and the whole Hnízdo community. That made us appreciate the opportunity to return even more.
Before our departure, we organised a variety of fundraising activities throughout the second half of the school year to earn part of the money needed for the trip and ease the financial burden on our parents. We organised a raffle, sold waffles and lemonade at school events, and held rubber duck races and hobby horsing competitions. Thanks to everyone’s efforts, we raised around CZK 5,500 per person, covering approximately 40–50% of the total costs, including flights, accommodation and other expenses. A huge thank you goes to all our parents, friends of the school and the entire Hnízdo community for helping to make this journey possible.
Our journey began with a drive from Ostravice to Kraków Airport. From there we flew to Newcastle and then continued by train to Saltburn. Our accommodation was only a short walk from the railway station. We stayed in two neighbouring apartments – the girls in one, and the boys together with the adults in the other. We were also close to the shops, the railway station and, most importantly, the beach and the sea. On our way home, we travelled by train and bus to Leeds Bradford Airport before flying back to Kraków and returning home.
Every day we travelled to Esk Valley Community. It is an amazing group of people – families, people with learning disabilities and volunteers – who work together to keep the community running. We visited the different houses where families prepare meals for the volunteers and other members of the community. Each day a different house takes its turn. Everyone has their own home, but they work wherever help is needed – from the bakery and gardens to the various workshops. Most of the food is grown or baked by the community itself, and everything they produce is shared fairly. We had the opportunity to see how people can live together through mutual support, trust and respect.
We also took part in the community’s daily work. We helped in the gardens, the woodwork workshop, the craft workshop and the bakery. We learnt how to work with wood, sew bookmarks, look after the gardens and bake pizza bread. We also joined an art workshop. Everyone found an activity they enjoyed, and it felt good to contribute to everyday life in the community.
This year’s stay was especially memorable because we celebrated St John’s Festival – which we know as the Summer Solstice – together with the local community. Before the celebration began, we visited a nearby farm and then practised the songs together. The festival opened with a short play. Afterwards, we all joined hands, sang and walked in a spiral until we formed a large circle, where the celebration continued. At the end, a bonfire was lit, more songs were sung and everyone gathered in the hall for a shared lunch. The atmosphere of the festival allowed us to gain a deeper understanding of community life and, for a little while, to become a genuine part of it.
During our stay, we met many young people and volunteers from different countries around the world. On the very first day, after the Summer Solstice celebration, we got to know volunteers from England, Germany, France, Brazil, Sri Lanka, the Netherlands and several other countries. On Thursday, we met again on the beach in Saltburn, prepared the court, cleared away lots of stones, put up the net, made mixed teams and played volleyball until the evening. Later, we met again during shared lunches, workshops and a trip to the lake. Two of our new friends, Minnie and Elfie, even came to visit us at our apartment and stayed overnight. We talked, played games and had lots of fun together. These experiences gave us the chance to discover other cultures, practise our English and make new friendships.
There was also plenty of time to relax and enjoy ourselves. We often went to the beach, swam in the sea and made the most of the beautiful sunny weather. Although the sea was quite cold, there were more than enough brave swimmers willing to take a dip. One of our favourite activities was a team game called Smugglers and Customs Officers, where the smugglers tried to get money into a circle guarded by the customs officers. Unlike last year, we were lucky enough to enjoy beautiful summer weather throughout the whole week, allowing us to experience England at its very best.
This visit gave us another opportunity to experience life in a community where families, people with learning disabilities and volunteers live naturally alongside one another. We are taking home wonderful memories not only of our work and shared activities, but also of new and renewed friendships. We have become more independent, more confident in communicating in English and have gained inspiration for life in our families, our school and our wider community. We believe that experiences like these help us become more open-minded, responsible and willing to contribute to the places where we live. Thank you to everyone at Esk Valley Camphill Community for your warm welcome. We are already looking forward to meeting again.
