Play Day - A One Day Pop Up Experience in Sussex
UPDATE: this tester day was originally planned for Saturday 19th but we had to move it to Monday 21st September due to a change in weather
Let’s face it this year has sucked! Perhaps you’ve managed to find some pockets of joy and moments of wisdom (great job if you have) but in general 2020 has been a bit of a kill joy. We’re big believers in fun, play and joy over here at SUP & Soul - we know just how essential all of these are for the soul. That’s why this day is dedicated to pure joy, a dash of fun and a lot of play. All things that are rather good for the nervous system and can help boost immunity not to mention the positive impact they have on your overall mental wellbeing! Laughter and having fun makes us more resilient, able to cope in uncertainty and open to possibilities - super important for the current challenges the world is facing.
With that in mind, this day has been designed to help you embrace more fun and play in your every day, to give yourself permission to let go and have some fun. Come and let us give you a joy boost!
Location
We’ll be based next to a stunning reservoir nestled in the heart of the East Sussex countryside approx 25 miles north of Brighton and 25 miles south of Croydon. We’ll be completely surrounded by a luscious nature reserve with only the wildlife for company - and each other of course. We’ll feel a million miles away from the real world, tucked away in our wild classroom for the two days. We’ll spend all of our time outside, truly immersed in nature and getting cosy with blankets, comfy outdoor seating and maybe even some campfires. We’re so spoilt with this location - we’ll have direct access to the water and barely any other water users! What bliss. The exact location will be disclosed at the time of enquiry - to ensure we keep this hidden secret just that - a secret! There’s plenty of free parking available too.
A taste of your time
Your SUP & Soul one day pop up experience will be a fun, wild and enlightening journey exploring your inner workings and your natural surroundings.
Welcome
We’ll start the day with introductions, getting to know each other, landing in the space and taking some time to set our Soul Intention for the day.
Life coaching workshops
Our Sussex Play Day retreat is a one day full sensory experience. We’ll start our time together by really landing in the space and disconnecting from the outside world. On the life coaching side we’ll play fun games to help you get you in touch with the fun and playful side of yourself. We’ll explore what truly gives you joy in your life in small and big meaningful ways. You’ll be expertly guided by our life coach Théa to tune into your body wisdom and start to really listen to what it needs from you.
Paddleboarding adventures
Your paddle boarding instructor and guide, Camilla, will take the coaching out onto (and into!) the water. You’ll learn to paddle board in our sheltered reservoir surrounded by a stunning nature reserve. You’ll progress your paddling skills over the course of the session exploring the reservoir and hopefully meeting some of the local wildlife on the way. If you’re already a paddleboarder then not to worry - we’ll factor this into the planning and ensure your experience is aimed at your level of SUP experience.
Although, it will be exhilarating and fun, sometimes what comes up in the coaching can take us by surprise so it’s super important to allow ourselves the time to just be. That’s why paddleboarding works so beautifully with life coaching - on the water you can’t help but feel centred and calm. There’s nothing quite like the sound of water gently lapping against your board to hold your attention in the now.
You time
We want to ensure your every need is catered for and appreciate it can be an intense experience so there will be breaks and a long lunch with down time and space factored into each day where you can choose to eat, relax, explore and/or socialise. This is your time to do whatever you need.
Sample Day
09:00-09:30 ~ A Welcome Check In with Introductions
09:30-12:00 ~ Paddleboarding / Coaching Workshop
12:00-13:30 ~ Lunch & Down Time
13:30-16:00 ~ Coaching Workshop / Paddleboarding
16:00-17:30 ~ Choose Your Activity
Options: Land Yoga / SUP Yoga / Embrace Your Body Session / Time to Relax
17:30-18:00 ~ Check Out and Close
Homemade lunch & snacks
Over the course of the retreat we’ll enjoy al fresco dining with lunch and snacks lovingly prepared and delivered by our local chef - Tania, who runs Hugo’s Cafe in Forest Row (part of the cohort of artisans, merchants and creatives that make up The Bazaar). Tania’s delicious food is inspired by her Scandinavian roots, she uses only the best fresh, locally sourced and in-season ingredients. We’ll provide you with a menu to choose and pre-order your lunch for both days. Please advise of any dietary requirements and allergies at this time - rest assured we can cater for everyone’s needs!
Group Sizes & Covid Guidelines
There are 10 places available on each of our pop up experience days. To ensure we are Covid-19 compliant, we’ll always remain in smaller groups of 6 people maximum - up to 5 guests plus the group host. You’ll remain in your group of 6 for the majority of the day.
In the morning your group will either start with paddleboarding or coaching and then after lunch you will swap over and those who paddleboarded in the morning will enjoy coaching in the afternoon and vice versa.
The team will ensure all the paddleboarding equipment is deep cleaned before the groups swap over.
The afternoon activity options will be limited to 5 people per session - you can let us know your choice at the time of booking.
Price
Special One Off Launch Price: £30 per person
Balance: The balance payment is due by 18:00 on Friday 18 September 2020 to confirm your place.
Paddleboarding: we will organise the groups into complete beginners and those with experience. If you’re a complete beginner we’ll teach you everything you need to know to enjoy this amazing sport and location. And if you already SUP then this will be all about discovering a new location and a bit of SUP coaching - but only if you want it!
Cancellations and Refunds: The balance payment is non-refundable unless we need to cancel the event due to severe weather or a local lockdown/law change around outdoor gatherings due to Covid-19. In either of these situations we will give you a full refund of your balance. If you cancel we cannot offer you a refund as we won’t be able to fill the space. However, if we can fill the space then we can offer you a full refund.
Maximum group sizes: 6 people including your host - Camilla for SUP, Théa for coaching, Georgie for SUP yoga, Sarah for Land Yoga and Claudine for Embrace Your Body Session
What is included:
Teas, coffees, yummy snacks and lunch - lunch is handmade by Tania - a local chef who runs Hugo’s Cafe in Forest Row
All paddle boarding equipment - top quality boards, paddles, leashes and buoyancy aids as well as deep cleaning of kit
Up to 2.5 hours of paddleboarding - including a beginner lesson for anyone who has never tried it plus gentle and fun guided trips around the reservoir
Paddleboarding sessions are hosted by Camilla who is a fully insured and qualified ASI instructor with first aid training
Up to 2.5 hours group Life Coaching workshop plus any bits needed for the session
Life Coaching hosted by Théa who is a qualified NLP, EFT and Intuitive Life Coach
There is the option to book private life coaching time with Théa before or after the retreat. Just let us know if this is of interest and we can get a quote over to you for this - special 1-2-1 rates for SUP & Soul guests!
1.5 hour SUP Yoga or Wild Swimming & Body Confidence Session
Back up guided walks and hikes in case the weather doesn’t work in our favour - as much as is safely possible we’ll be paddle boarding so do bring wet weather gear. We’ll send over a full list of what to bring along with your booking details.
What is NOT included:
Transfer to the retreat location - but there is free parking available
Overnight accommodation - this experience is intended as two separate days where all guests arrive by 9am each morning and we’ll be finished by 6pm on both days.
Wetsuit hire - we have agreed a special deal with Tri Wetsuit Hire based in Horley - the price to hire a wetsuit for 1 day is £20 - just mention SUP & Soul when contacting them and Sarah will honour this price for you.
If you’re coming from further afield let us know and we can recommend some places to stay and if there’s interest perhaps a group evening meal after the first day. If you would like to camp there is the space available at our location so let us know and we can provide you with details and a quote.
Items that will help make you feel cozy and snug - we’ll provide a full list of suggested things to bring to help make your time more comfortable. Due to Covid-19 we’re unable to supply these items ourselves.
Personal travel insurance - it is a recommended that all guests have their own travel insurance. If we need to cancel for Covid-19 reasons or because the weather is going to be too horrendous we will give you a full refund. We’ll make this decision between 24-48 hours prior to the first day based on the local forecast.