Practical Information

Travel

Access

The organizers are committed to creating as inclusive an environment as possible for all participants.

The house can be entered step-free but there are no adapted bathrooms. However, it does have a ground floor bedroom and bathroom. One of the bedrooms also has a cot, if the writer cannot find alternative care for a young child. The house is also pet friendly, but the allergies of other participants will have to be taken into account before being able to agree to a pet's presence. 

The other bedrooms are all accessed by stairs. One of the stairs is beautiful but eccentric and doesn't have a rail for part of it. Only the downstairs bathroom has a bath, the rest are showers. 

There is a sunken sofa area without a railing - we have used this area in the past for feedback sessions but will avoid it this time as the stairs are quite treacherous. You are of course very welcome to use it as an individual to write or talk!

We ask applicants to inform us of allergies and any access issues in a form sent out after payment has been received. We want to know as much as possible about you so that we can make the right adjustments for the week.

We make a full scholarship available for each retreat. This year's recipient is Jackie Hagan. 

Code of Conduct

Our retreats rely on a welcoming, supportive environment, in which all participants (including tutors) agree to be mindful of each other’s comfort, safety and boundaries. To that end, here are a few things to consider:

• Remember that everyone has different needs. We will create a space at the beginning of the retreat for people to share any specific requests or concerns, but this is also an ongoing process so please keep paying attention to each other’s requests.
• Not every need has to be explained to be respected - trust that people know what works for them.
• If someone says they are uncomfortable with something, or needs to step away from a conversation or activity, respect that and don’t draw extra attention to them.
• Interest in each other is natural, but keep in mind that we all have different comfort levels when discussing ourselves and our experiences. Let others share on their terms. In particular don't ask unsolicited questions, or offer unsolicited advice, about people's health, bodies or identities.
• Learn and use other participants' pronouns. If someone corrects you on their pronouns, or if you catch and correct yourself, please do so without making a big deal of it.
• We are all responsible for educating ourselves on issues and experiences that don’t directly affect us.
• Most of us will need down time at some point, and everyone is entitled to privacy, so please don’t interrupt people if they’re in their own rooms (unless they’ve said you can, of course)
• Check with others before taking or sharing pictures, or talking publicly about them or their work, even if it’s just to say you like it.
• This is a zero tolerance space for intimidating, harassing, abusive, discriminatory or derogatory conduct. We take this very seriously and will take appropriate action in any such incident.
• Please treat the home as if it were your own. This means being careful not to damage any part of it, and cleaning up after yourself.
• Please also remember to lock up the doors at night, and to look after your belongings responsibly when we are on outings.