Retreat@Bry weekend

A whole host of wellbeing activities were planned to allow pupils to take some time out from their studies to focus on their mental and physical health. A lot of thought and effort went into the weekend to ensure that there was something for everyone.

Wellbeing boxes containing fresh fruit, stress balls, gratitude cards, jigsaws and mindful activity books were delivered to each house for pupils to enjoy with friends in their bubbles. To encourage pupils out into the fresh air, our Head of Outdoor Education, Duncan Curry, organised a Wellbeing Walk. Pupils and staff were given a map which marked out eight checkpoints around the school grounds. At each checkpoint, pupils were asked to complete a specific task, such as finding as many different varieties of leaves as they could.

On Saturday evening, our catering team laid on a fabulous Christmas food market, featuring bratwurst, sauerkraut, waffles, mulled apple drinks, a hog roast, festive music and fake snow. Other activities across the weekend included: music and performing arts’ pop ups, candlelit yoga, guided meditation, gratitude trees, positivity pebbles and mindful prayers. There was even a voluntary digital detox on Sunday afternoon. Another important part of the weekend was the Pop-Up Arts Festival, which gave pupils a chance to perform live music, dance and drama to their peers; activities that provide stress relief from busy lives.

Claire Miller Deputy Head Boarding and Pastoral commented: “It is so important in this current environment to recognise and look after our mental health. Our pupils are spending more time at the School than they normally would, so we decided to come up with a special weekend of activities designed to get them away from their desks and devices, and allow them some time to breathe and relax.”