RELAX AND REVIVE TO SURVIVE
‘Again another wonderful weekend away – child free therefore stress-free! Thank you for all the behind-the-scenes planning and negotiating and prioritizing so our mums can have that so desperately deserved TLC luxury break away.
I think on the whole it equates to mission impossible: trying to please 50 women !!! However on behalf of the silent majority (some so overworked they could not find time to send a thank you) whole-heartedly thank you! Some of us simply hurtle through the merry-go-round of life – dreaming of the next IOE Mums escape weekends! Roll on 2019!’
‘Woohoo, the weekend was awesome l am so grateful to be included and to be able to enjoy good company and a great venue l would otherwise not be able to afford plus a beautiful beachside location. Thank you so much.’
‘Fabulous weekend. I haven’t felt so relaxed (and understood!) for a very long time. The break was so needed and so appreciated.’
‘It was so much fun! Such a great bunch of chickie babes!’
Some of the feedback received after our recent annual Mothers Group weekend away.
This year we headed to the Mantra in Lorne. A perfect place to relax and unwind, which really is the main purpose of the annual break.
Lots of time to chillout, to walk and explore, to enjoy the luxury of browsing the shops child free,or just sit on the beach or in a cafe and chat. Simple everyday things for many but cherished opportunities for most of the ladies in the Mums group. No having to look after anyone but themselves, definitely no cooking or cleaning, just eating and drinking and enjoying the fruits of others’ labours for a change. An added bonus was that the weather was perfect!
The more energetic took advantage of Mantra’s gym and indoor pool. On the Saturday afternoon we took a small group to a local sculpture park, then on to the magnificent Erskine falls – the 260+ steps to the bottom and then up again were well worth the considerable effort, as the falls were even more spectacular when viewed from their base. Final stop was Terry’s lookout with a superb overview of the ocean and the Great Ocean road.
Saturday night following dinner it was time for fun and games as our entertainment facilitators, Sarah and Ryan from Misfit Project, had us role playing individually and in ‘table teams’, dressing up, being silly and having loads of laughs. Great fun!
On the Saturday night Ryan asked ‘Stand up if this is your only weekend away in a year’ and quite a number of the ladies present stood up. Testimony to the value of the respite breaks and opportunities offered through IOE’s family support programs.
Relaxation, fun, socialisation, inclusion, support and understanding – the weekend had those and more to the max.
