Hi everyone

Retreat Away Fund - Round 9

18 more groups have been awarded £11,500 funding under the Retreat Away Fund for a subsidised stay at Rookhow. This is twice as many as in Round 8!

The groups are:

Due North with the Muslim Women's Council (women from West Cumbria and Yorkshire)
Springfield Domestic Abuse Support (a residential for their staff and volunteers)
Jobs, Friends and Houses (a recovery group from Blackpool)
Mind in Furness (days in the woods to improve mental wellbeing)
Marsh Community Centre (youth group, Lancaster)
Calderwood House (Time to Change West Cumbria) (supporting homeless people)
Worldies Official (women dealing with domestic abuse, addictions, poverty)
Project 6 (staff and volunteer team, supporting people affected by substance misuse in Yorkshire)
Queer Cumbria (LGBTQ+ young people)
Mycelium Thinking (creative community climate activists)
Grange-over-Sands Community Food Share (a holiday & activities for low income families)
Morecambe Bay Academy (targeted work with young people with emotionally based school avoidance)
Colne Youth Action Group (Lancashire youth group)
Mosaic Outdoors (exploring the racially diverse history of Cumbria & how it is portrayed or not)
Kent Estuary Youth Group (support for young people around Milnthorpe)
The Well Communities (women recovering from domestic abuse, victims of crime, addictions, mental health difficulties)
Drop Zone Youth Project (extended education provision for young people in Barrow)
Morecambe Foyer (support for young homeless people, many of whom have come out of the care system)

We are grateful to the 3 Area Quaker Meetings and generous individuals for supporting these groups. Rookhow also puts at least 5% of its bookings income into this fund.

Rookhow's 300th anniversary celebrations- Saturday 7th June

Rookhow will be celebrating its 300th anniversary on Saturday 7th June. We would especially like to involve local people and community organisations who have stayed at Rookhow. If you would like to pop in for any part of the day, you would be welcome:

12noon Quaker Meeting for Worship in the 300 year old Meeting House

1pm Bring and shared lunch

2pm Speakers on Rookhow's history and Rookhow's future/ young people's activities in the woods

3pm Tea and cake

3.20pm Group activity with Wise Up Workshops

4pm onwards- socialising, evening meal, campfire, music

We're encouraging people to arrive at Rookhow on foot or by bike- there's an organised bike ride from Cartmel and a walk from Newby Bridge over High Dam. There will be car parking at Rookhow and Rusland Readings Rooms for those who are not able to walk so far. Space for people to stay over too (Friday and/or Saturday nights). FIND OUT MORE Book online or email contactrookhow@gmail.com saying which part of the day you want to join. We're really grateful to Wise Up Workshops for their creative support in helping to organise this event.

We thought you'd be interested to read an excerpt from the 200th anniversary report in 1925: “A good number gathered of farmers and labourers, their wives and daughters, two chauffeurs, the vicar and his wife and others. Our Friends again had service; a good spirit pervaded the meeting, and serious attention and spiritual uplift were evident on many faces. There was a general feeling that it had been good to be there, and that there was an open way, and a desire that similar occasions might take place oftener in the same place. The whole of the bicentenary celebration was felt to have been a success.”

If you would prefer not to book using the online system, send me a quick email!

'Summer Notes' - Tuesday 1st July 7.30pm (refreshments) for 8pm (music)

This performance sees some of Cumbria's finest chamber musicians come together to start a new tradition - a musical almanac. You can expect to hear beautiful miniatures, specially commissioned works from leading composers, reworkings by the ensemble of traditional folk music and familiar classics - all with a particular focus on the time of year.

Expect to hear a new arrangement of Vaughan Williams’ Silent Noon alongside music by Ella Jarman-Pinto, Kerry Andrew, Liz Johnson, Kirsty Devaney, Sadie Harrison, Benjamin Britten’s folk songs and a world premiere from David Matthews among others…

Conjuring a musical picture of the celestial and earthly connections to the seasons and to place, music of the tides, stars and human connection.

Reserve a seat by emailing contactrookhow@gmail.com £18 adults. Pay on the door (cash/card). Under 16s free

Other dates for your diary

Thursday 11th September Quiet Day 'A sense of place' with Ginny Newsham- book by emailing contactrookhow@gmail.com Donations on the day

Monday 17th November Quiet Day with Caroline Stow and Suan Marston- book by emailing contactrookhow@gmail.com Donations on the day

Wednesday 19th November Soundscape Ecology Day with Propellor- more info in the Autumn

Thursday 4th December Winter Concert with Propellor- more info in the Autumn

Friday 13th - Sunday 15th March 2026 Storytelling for Restoration & Connection weekend with Hannah Moore, storyteller- express interest by emailing contactrookhow@gmail.com. Booking opening soon

Regular events

Open Days- 1st and 3rd Friday of every month 10am-4pm

Online Epilogue- 1st and 3rd Mondays 9-9.20pm ZOOM LINK

Quaker Meetings for Worship- 1st Wednesdays 7.30-8pm and 1st & 3rd Fridays 12.30-1pm

Volunteer work parties- every Friday 9.30am-4pm

All are welcome, Quakers and non-Quakers.

Christmas & New Year at Rookhow

We're booked up every weekend now until mid December but have availability over Christmas and New Year: CHECK AVAILABILITY Please spread the word and if anyone's interested, please get in touch.

New Rookhow Assistant Development Worker

Kath Becker has been appointed as the new Assistant Development Worker for Rookhow, on 35 hours per month, supporting the trustees and me in the running of Rookhow. We're incredibly lucky to have Kath as part of the team, with her wonderful friendly and positive personality and her experience of working with many different people and organisations. Kath can be contacted at this email address.

Sue & Kath enjoying a celebratory hot chocolate on Kath's first day

Best wishes,

Sue, Kath & the Rookhow trustees

Sue Nicholls (she/her)

Rookhow Development Manager

Kath Becker (she/her)

Rookhow Assistant Development Worker

Rookhow phone number: 07377 971783

Email: contactrookhow@gmail.com

Website: rookhow.org.uk

Donations link: DONATE TO ROOKHOW

Sue works part time (25 hour per week) flexi-time Monday-Friday.

Kath works part time (35 hours per month) flexi-time Monday-Friday

Rookhow is a registered Charitable Incorporated Organisation: Charity No 1188409. We put 5% of our bookings income into subsidising stays for community groups. Rookhow is a Quaker Recognised Body.

Rookhow mailing list & GDPR

If you wish to unsubscribe from these emails at any time, please let me know and I'll take you off the list. Also if you know anyone who would like to be added, please give them my email address to get in touch. Thanks.

Rookhow

Rookhow1725

Independent Hostels