Rossiter
“Rossiter Retreats exists to provide a basis for a
network of friendship and understanding.”
Contents
Committee
Information
Chairperson Simon P.
Rossiter (Secondary School Teacher, Farnham)
Secretary Jenny
Rossiter (PR Account Executive, Bagshot)
Treasurer Mathew
Thomas (Secondary School Technician, Cardiff)
Training Officer Rachel Hollway
(Nurse, London)
Development Officer Edward Rossiter
(Post-graduate, Bristol)
Health and Safety Officer Nicola Fry (Trainee Nurse, Oxford)
Press and Publicity Officer Jeremy P. Rossiter (Museum Custodian,
London)
Favorite Links
Contact
Information
E-mail address rossiterretreat@catholic.org
Web address www.rc.net/uk/portsmouth/rossiter
Office phone Simon and Jenny on
(01252) 331756
Snail-mail address Willow
Farm, 64 Aldershot Road, Fleet, Hampshire, GU13 9NT
This Year’s Retreats
The Big Chill: 17th to 20th of April 2001 – A
retreat for young people aged 14-19 who are approaching difficult times in their
life in the form of exams.
More of and Advance than a Retreat: 6th
to 10th August 2001 – A retreat aimed at the 14 – 18 age bracket
designed to combine active and passive experiences to help explore what we have
to offer in the year 2001.
December 2001 – A retreat aimed at adults giving
them the opportunity to explore a topical, social theme, and celebrate the New
Year in style.
Historical Information
After running retreats for
young people and people who work with young people with the support of
Portsmouth Diocesan Youth Service since 1991, Simon Rossiter realised the need
for progress. This development took the form of the creation of Rossiter
Retreats.
Rossiter Retreats was
created in 19997 with a committee of eight people, all of who had previously
had an active role in the retreats Simon ran. They sat down and decided that if
the venture was to be successful, it would have to professional. Rossiter
Retreats is keen to ensure that every element of every retreat experience is
created with thought and care.
The background of the
members of the committee is very important in the approach of Rossiter
Retreats. There is a combined total of 15 years experience of working with
young people professionally, and eight years nursing experience. The creative
and dynamic team (including 2 artists, 4 poets and 2 musicians) ensures hat the
sessions, both active and passive, are original, or presented in an original
manner.
Since 1991 over 70
different people have shared in the 25 retreats experiences that have been run.
Since the inception of Rossiter Retreat in 1997, there have been ten retreats
with over 30 different people attending.
Rossiter Retreats currently
bases its work at the Cottages, Douai Abbey near Reading in Berkshire (for map
see link above). These cottages comfortably occupy about 20 people with good
self-catering facilities. The surrounding countryside helps to ensure that
these experiences really are retreats from the hectic pace of everyday life.
FAQs
Who is Rossiter Retreats for?
Anybody who is
interested in learning and growing as a person.
Do you have to be Roman Catholic to attend?
No. Our work
comes from a strong Christian ethos that encourages the participation of all,
and the experience of meeting new and different people.
Why is Rossiter Retreats useful?
It gives us the
opportunity to enrich ourselves, others and the world in which we live.
How does Rossiter Retreats do this?
By creating an
opportunity for people to take a step back from the routine of everyday life.
What kind of things do Rossiter Retreats do?
We aim to run at
least three retreats a year for young people and people who work with young
people. We use a range of experiential activities such as simulation games,
role-play, discussion, outdoor activities, and occasionally we have a guest
speaker. We take care to put aside time for reflection in the morning and the
evening, and usually celebrate the retreats with some kind of service. We also
have time for fun, and feel that sport, games and laughter are an important
part of the retreat experience.
Last revised: 5th June 2000
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