We don’t like to waste any time when the sun is out! What a lovely week we have had… on Tuesday we enjoyed supper in the gardens – what a treat! On Thursday we enjoyed the morning outside, where several residents were delighted to be assisted around the gardens and then enjoyed a few hours relaxing in the sunshine – some also enjoyed some healthy exercise in the fresh air which our care assistants always like to encourage to keep our residents active.

Our carers also ensured sun hats and sun tan lotion were at the ready as well as umbrellas to protect our residents from the sun if it got too hot. The sunshine has certainly brought a lovely smile to everyone’s face this week. Long may it continue!

Talk given by Gill Ness-Collins at Valerie Manor in April 2013
– many thanks to Gill Ness-Collins who kindly gave up her time to give us this wonderful talk earlier this month…

My Name is Gill and I was asked to talk about one of my travel experiences! My latest expedition was to Lourdes in Easter week this year. For those of you who don’t know Lourdes is a small town in France in the foothills of the Pyrenees. It was here in 1863 that the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to Bernadette, a young French girl as she gathered sticks for the family fire on the banks of the River Garve.

The apparitions continued over several weeks, and although the adults, family, priest Mayor etc were not convinced they asked Bernadette to ask the “lady” for a sign. She told Bernadette to scrape on the ground for a spring. A small spring started flowing, and has continued to flow ever since. Within a few years miraculous cures were being reported and pilgrims were coming in their thousands to bathe in these waters. Nowadays Lourdes is an internationally renowned pilgrimage centre.

I visited Lourdes once, for a day in my early twenties and decided it was not for me! After retirement I was persuaded to go again and help with a group. Well I was hooked! I have been back every year since, sometimes more than once! Nowadays I go with a group called the ‘Old and the Bold’. All the members have been involved with the HCPT (Handicapped Children’s Pilgrimage Trust) and are now retired from running groups etc. We go along and join in with the activities, but without the responsibility of a group – no more pushing wheelchairs for us In fact some of our members are almost ready to be pushed!

We actually go as part of the National HCPT Pilgrimage each year, I suppose I should say ‘International’ as we have groups from England Ireland, Scotland, Wales. West Indies, USA, Croatia – and still more countries are joining! This year the there were 5,000 people at our big celebration Mass. All this has grown from the idea started by Dr. Michael Strode in 1956 when he took four handicapped boys from Chailey Heritage and several adult helpers for a trial Pilgrimage. We had Brother Michael, as he is now, with us this year – he is now 90 years old, but what an inspirational character.

Nowadays the Pilgrimage is billed as a ’Holiday with Mary’. So what did we do? We attended the big Masses (services) – You should hear five thousand people singing and doing action songs together! Wow! We attended the Processions, visited the town and most important of all the handicapped, and those of us who were brave enough in the cold weather went to the Baths! The Spring has been piped into baths, and all those who wish are taken and lowered into the healing waters – it is an amazing experience. We visited the Grotto, and prayed there and followed tradition by lighting candles for our friends and Families. We also attended a beautiful mass there led by the West Indian group, we sat outdoors in the sleet and rain – but it was a wonderful experience with superb singing – no one considered leaving! But afterwards we rushed to the cafes for a restoring Hot Chocolate!

One of the high spots of the week for me is the annual trek up into the mountains to visit the village of Gavarnie. Here the groups come and picnic, indoors when it is cold! Have Mass, go for donkey or horse rides and play games in the meadows. This year it was snowballing! The fit among us walk up into the mountains, this year there was so much snow I only managed two KM!

It was a wonderful experience, even though it was cold and wet the fun and friendship kept us warm. On the last morning we all trooped back to the Domaine (the area in the centre where all the big events happen) and said a prayer at the Crowned Virgin Statue, as tradition demands to ensure we will return again – it certainly works in my case! Roll on Easter 2014! gNc

Carolyn Scott has for some time now been visiting Valerie Manor to provide reflexology for the residents who would like it. Carolyn started to see residents every few months but her visits were so popular the service was extended and she now visits twice a month. You can really see the benefits and the difference that she makes to the residents that she sees. I think we have the added benefit of Carolyn living in Upper Beeding so knows the local area and can talk to the residents about it as well.

Carolyn is a member of the Complementary Therapists Association.