Catered Meals
Eating together is an enjoyable way to relax & meet in a different way than we do in the circle. It supports our explorations to have some meals prepared for us. Your catering payment is mandatory. It covers all refreshments during the day & evenings, plus Saturday supper and Sunday and Monday lunch . There is a meat/fish option, a vegetarian option or a special diet option which you need to choose from in the drop down box above. The food is nourishing, tasty and plentiful, and organic to a large extent. The desserts are yummy. Catered lunches consist of vegan soups and vegan or vegetarian salads. The caterer also provides cheeses, perhaps sometimes hummous, eggs, or beef slices, plus salads, ricecakes, oatcakes and bread, fruit and cake.
Special diets
If you have a special diet, you must select that option from the drop down box above AND detail a) What your allergy is, and b) Exactly what you cannot eat as a result. We will then be aware of your dietary needs & will pass these to the centre or non-residential event caterer. Please note your health is always your own responsibility.
Non-catered meals
We bring food to share on Saturday lunchtime, and Sunday supper – for this, bring a baked potato plus toppings or salad or dessert. Everyone contributes to clearing up etc
Bed and breakfast Accommodation
Informal accommodation for this non-residential course, is available, on a friendship basis, for Saturday and Sunday evenings only, at our beautiful, peaceful home 10 minutes drive from the daytime course venue in England’s largest designated area of outstanding beauty. The Saturday supper followed by evening circle is also held at this location. If you would like to stay overnight with us and many of the group participants, & enjoy self-serve breakfast, & the hot tub with its spectacular views, please select one of the options available in the drop down box above. Please note if you are a couple or 2 friends attending together (one of whom is new to Secret Garden), you must book your course places and your accommodation options separately and pay separately, and you can both claim the couple discount. We have two cats so do make sure you are happy with that before booking. We need to know well in advance if you want this- first come, first served! You confirm your place (places strictly limited) with your payment. It’s an easy 90 minute drive from London, 40 minutes from Bristol, 20 minutes from Cheltenham. There is a regular train service to Stroud from London , Bristol, Bath and elsewhere and an easy taxi journey from Stroud. Full directions given after booking.
The Valley has never been intensively farmed, sprayed or built on. It is rare limestone grassland habitat and its ancient beechwoods have rich flora & abundant wildlife. The hillsides and the woodlands you can walk are known for many different types of wild orchid and lots of badgers & deer. The Valley is a place of natural abundance & strong, healing energy and is acclaimed for it exceptional beauty.
Each option – shared Dorm accommodation on soft mats, twin room on soft mats, single room with bed or single room with mats, camper van and camping (bring own gear) – is available until fully booked -please select your choice above as they go fast. That option is fully booked if it isn’t displayed or says out of stock. Unless you have a bed option, you will need to bring your own bedding, sleeping bag or sheets. If travelling by train or bus, let us know and we can lend you a duvet and pillow but please bring sheets and pillow cases if possible. All options include use of hot tub, hot indoor and outdoor showers and all sitting rooms.
The breakfast kitchen at Mayfaire is vegetarian. Your bed and breakfast fee includes a plentiful self-serve informal breakfast. We don’t provide special diet meals but we do provide in addition to the usual breakfast foods, rice and soya milk, soya yoghurt, cornflakes (gluten free), porridge (wheat free), organic baked beans, herb teas, oat & rice cakes. Do please bring any other special diet ‘extras’ you might need in a cool bag. if you need to supplement your diet with meat or tinned fish, please bring that with you.
There is a fridge at Mayfaire & at the day venues we use, but cool bags are helpful to store some items. If you have an allergy, the responsibility for keeping yourself safe & well lies with you.
A note about personal responsibility – it is an ongoing experiment for us holding a group & living communally at Mayfaire with those who value this way of being. . We ask for your trust and care and flexibility, no complaining is the deal! Take some time quietly to yourself when you need it, let go of personal preferences for the sake of community and all will flow smoothly. We are exploring consciousness together so please remember and live the Hawaiian principle of lokahi -harmony with one’s environment – at all times.
Enjoy a peaceful, rural retreat & the benefits of being fully with the energy of the group. We get fabulous feedback from those who stay here. This is very much community living and guests find it enhances their overall experience to stay with us and many of the group. There is lots of laughter! and it is good and sweet in many ways to hang out in an informal way, enjoy the hot tub and beautiful countryside in free time. We ask you to be mindful that this is our home and to please take care of it as though it were your own.
We cannot be held responsible for any loss, damage or injury whilst you are at Mayfaire. Please take care of your own well being & safety, you learn & stay here informally as friends, at your own risk. We are sorry but we cannot refund b and b payment if you change your mind, or your own childcare arrangements etc go askew as it takes an extraordinary amount of time to organize and set up and once we are full we have to turn others away. In sudden, extreme change of circumstances such as serious family illness only we will set your payment against a future booking with pleasure at our discretion.
You are very welcome to stay with us in this idyllic valley if you can respect & understand the requests & guidelines provided on your arrival, which are similar to those of a retreat centre and designed for the enjoyment of all of us. Assistants are available to clarify any questions.
We love to share our home and the blessings of living here, in this beautiful area, with you all and welcome you!
Wishing you a safe and pleasant journey to the beautiful countryside of Gloucestershire and a peaceful, happy time til then.
Aloha,
Joy, Tim, Honey, Tiger and Beauty
Preliminary details about the Retreat
Here is an example of a non-residential rough plan which shows you how the days behind the scenes of your course will unfold. You will receive a detailed confirmation with start time before your Retreat . You do not need to know any other specifics before that.
*For the asterisked meals (Saturday lunch and Sunday breakfast if you stay at Mayfaire) you need to bring your own plate, bowl, mug, knife, fork, & spoon
| Saturday | No B&B on Fri pm/Sat am | Day Circle opens at Stroud venue Arrival times in your course confirmation sent a few weeks before | Coffee break mid morning Tea break mid afternoon | Bring food to share for Lunch * approx 1pm-2 15pm at Stroud venue which has a kitchen | Afternoon break approx 3 45pm Day circle closes approx. 5pm | At Mayfaire Dinner 7pm- 8.30pm – Outside Caterer *8 30pm Evening Circle at Mayfaire for all participants Close 9 30pm | Mayfaire B&B* if you have booked to stay at Mayfaire on Sat & Sun night |
| Mayfaire B&B* if you have booked to stay at Mayfaire | Breakfast at Mayfaire * 7 45am-9.00am if b & b booked |
Day Circle starts approx 10 00am in Stroud | Coffee break mid morning Tea break mid afternoon | Catered Lunch* | Coffee break mid morning Tea break mid afternoon | Shared Baked potato etc supperEvening Circle at Mayfaire for all participants Close 9 30pm | Mayfaire B&B* if you have booked to stay at Mayfaire |
| Mayfaire B&B* if you have booked to stay at Mayfaire | Breakfast at Mayfaire * 7 45am-9.00am if b & b booked |
Day Circle starts approx 10 00am in Stroud | Coffee break mid morning Tea break | Catered Lunch* | Coffee break Tea break mid afternoon | Circle closes approx 3;15 pm on Monday. |
