Some of the comments from organisers, facilitators and guests who use Croydon Hall for their work.
School of Awakening
'Dedicated to the expansion of consciousness, the School of Awakening in the UK offers Tantra courses for singles and couples, Tantra Meditation Retreats, Colour Light Therapy, Tachyon Healing, Angelic Reiki and Creative Arts'.
The School of Awakening has used Croydon Hall as a venue for 7 years. Supragya, the co-Director, has this to say about Croydon Hall:
"Over the years we have built up a close relationship with Croydon Hall and continue to hold our events there because the staff understand and are sensitive to our needs. For our kind of work we need a place where guests feel secure and relaxed and able to let go. As well as the location being secluded enough to provide this ambience, the sensitivity of the staff means that they are there when you need them but keep out of the way when you don’t. This is very important for our guests and the processes they go through.
The Croydon Hall administration is very flexible and willing to help with many different requests. Whenever we raise an issue they listen and do something about it. Working with Kanta (the Director) is a delight.
As our groups are large we usually use Rinzai Hall which, in addition to being a beautiful space, is also very private, quiet and undisturbed.
The food is superb. We request all organic ingredients for the vegetarian food and it is always delicious.
Our guests enjoy the wonderful accommodation. Not only is it clean and comfortable but there is a range of different kinds of accommodation which suits individuals’ needs and purses.
The whole ambience of Croydon Hall is one of richness, abundance, beauty and joyfulness which is the essence of our work. Our guests, who are all on some kind of spiritual quest, are unquestionably touched by the atmosphere. There is something intangible there which they pick up and respond to. Perhaps it is because the community is a meditative one – this creates its own energy.
Clearly this is a Buddhafield! There is no doubt about it!
Supragya
www.schoolofawakening.com
Email:
webinfo@schoolofawakening.com
The Naked Voice
'The Naked Voice introduces you to a simple, effortless method of sound and voice, inspired by the music, rhythms, movement and wisdom traditions of East and West.'
Chloe Goodchild’s Naked Voice workshops have been held at Croydon Hall for the past 5 years. Tim Chalice, who organises these beautiful workshops, says:
'We keep returning to Croydon Hall for many reasons. The beautiful location inspires participants to enter a different and silent space, leaving behind the noisy city and all its stresses and distractions. The grounds, the wild life, the nature and the constant singing of the birds combine to create a peaceful ambience.
Croydon hall offers a variety of different sized group rooms, which is convenient for us as our retreats can range from a small, intimate intensive week-long workshop right up to a celebratory weekend workshop for sixty. Rinzai Hall, which we use for very large groups, is a well set up space, light and airy, with good floors, a high ceiling and good acoustics. As it is away from the main building, it is quiet and undisturbed by people passing by. Our participants enjoyed this beautiful room with lots of space to move around and express themselves.
The accommodation is good. There is a range of rooms, all of which are comfortable and clean. The dormitory rooms are a good option when we want to keep costs as low as possible for our participants.
The food is good and plentiful and we always look forward to meal times!
We always feel very welcomed when we come to Croydon Hall. The staff are efficient, well-organised and always supportive.
Tim Chalice
Email: now@thenakedvoice.com
Pilates Event
Angie and Eddie Sheridan have used Croydon Hall as a venue for their Pilates weekend events for the past 6 years.
"Croydon Hall is perfect for us. It fits with what we want to do. It is a long way for our clientelle to go – from North London – but the long drive is worth it as it is such a special, very peaceful place. The contrast of being there after being in North London has considerable impact.
We usually use the Zen Room for our workshops as it is a beautiful room with a peaceful feeling and an extraordinary view looking out on to the huge garden and the countryside and the horizon beyond.
Accommodation is basic but good, clean and very quiet.
The vegetarian food is excellent. It is, in fact, the best vegetarian food I have ever had. It is so good that I suggested they run cookery classes and produce a cookery book.
Of the leisure facilities available, we usually enjoy using the swimming pool.
The support that the Croydon Hall staff give us is very good and the general ambience is wonderful. The place has a very special feeling."
Angie and Eddie Sheridan
Tel: 01923 237 160
Email: angie@pilatesevents.co.uk
Biodynamics
'This work, and the word ‘Biodynamic’, means to acknowledge the relationship of the outside environment as an equal or greater factor, in maintaining equilibrium of the patient. It encompasses concepts anatomical, physiological, philosophical, energetic and spiritual (the concepts inherent in the original founding principles of Osteopathy) in augmenting the healing response as it emerges from the self correcting mechanisms inherent in all living things.'
Christian Sullivan, an osteopath and a Biodynamic Faculty Member, has used Croydon Hall as a venue for his workshops for the past 3 years.
"Croydon Hall provides a beautiful, clean and professional environment for our workshops. We always appreciate the peace and comfort of the place and the helpful, friendly and efficient support we receive from the staff.
The variety of different group spaces available means that we can be flexible and efficient in planning different aspects of the courses. For example, we can use the Tao room for group lectures and discussion, and move to the Zen room where our massage tables are already set up for practical work sessions.
Guest accommodation is clean and tidy and is definitely a notch up from the average retreat centre.
The vegetarian food is delicious, nutritious and imaginative and is lovingly prepared with fresh ingredients. The food served at Croydon Hall is by no means your average vegetarian food!"
Christian Sullivan
Osteopath and a Biodynamic Faculty Member
Email: DuSullies@aol.com
Yoga Practice
Paul Fox is a British Wheel of Yoga teacher and teacher trainer based in Minehead and Taunton in West Somerset. He teaches Core Strength Yoga and also foundations in Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga in the Mysore tradition. He is a British Wheel of Yoga Diploma Course Tutor (DCT) which means that he trains yoga teachers by delivering the BWY's three year Diploma Course.
Paul has twice used Croydon Hall as a venue for his teacher training courses and intends to use it in the future.
"I like Croydon Hall for the quality of its facilities and the professional way in which it is run. For my courses I use the Zen Room which is both beautiful and suitable for my requirements. I am happy with the accommodation provided although more single rooms would be an asset.
Special mention should be made of the high quality, nourishing vegetarian food provided. The leisure facilities – sauna, hot tub and AromaSpa and in particular the swimming pool -- are very good.
The staff at Croydon Hall are always welcoming and helpful and in general the venue provides a nice relaxed energy, very appropriate for my courses.’
Paul Fox
Email: paulfoxashtanga@hotmail.com
Interfaith Seminary
'The Interfaith Seminary is an innovative training programme for Interfaith Ministers and Spiritual Counsellors, to serve the spiritual needs of people from all faiths and none. It trains open-hearted men and women to become non-denominational ministers and counsellors to support individuals, families and communities in living a direct, authentic spirituality that is relevant and helpful to our modern world.'
The Interfaith Seminary has used Croydon Hall as a venue for their trainings for the past 6 years.
"The group love the natural environment in which Croydon Hall is situated. The peacefulness is important for creating the right kind of atmosphere for their retreats. There is plenty of quiet space for individual contemplation and many walks where people can head off alone or in small groups across the fields and bridleways. Iit is my personal delight to have my own special walks during his time here.
As the group is quite a big one – sometimes as many as 50 people attend – the large Rinzai Hall, a converted barn and carriage house, is always used. It is a beautiful space for the deep exploration that the group does.
In addition, the food is of a consistently high standard and the staff are always helpful and considerate."
Rob Maclachlan
MOVEMENT MEDICINE
'MOVEMENT MEDICINE is a contemporary, transformational movement meditation practice designed to awaken, free and release your natural energy, and support you to embody and manifest your potential.'
Susannah and Ya’Acov Darling Khan have been leading movement workshops for many years. As they are based in Devon, Croydon Hall, in nearby Somerset, is a conveniently located venue for them and they were one of the first organisations to hold workshops at Croydon Hall 6 years ago. They have been coming here ever since.
The venue is run efficiently and professionally yet it has a friendly, open and relaxed ambience. The fact that it is run by a community means that it doesn’t have an ‘institutional’ feel to it. Because of the many personal touches and attention to details -- for example fresh flowers everywhere, a log fire in the lounge -- guests feel cared for and special, more than just another group of anonymous people.
There is always a warm welcome when guests arrive.
Two practical details are much appreciated. One is the provision of a personal liaison officer to which guests can relate, ask questions and ask for help or advice for any problems that might arise. The second is the arrangements made to pick people up from local bus stops should they wish to make the journey using public transport. By providing this kind of support there is a feeling that guests’ needs have been considered in detail and effort has been made to ensure that they have a good time during their visit.
The venue is a beautiful building located in beautiful surroundings. Special mention should be made of the newly-built dining room with large glass windows which enable guests to look out to the garden and the wonderful view beyond. The food is good and varied without a ‘corporate’ (mass-produced) feel to it. Many venues are at a loss when required to provide good vegetarian food so the Croydon Hall vegetarian menu is huge bonus.
As our workshops are usually large ones – around 50 people – it is great to have the use of Rinzai hall, which is a large beautiful group space, and to be able to accommodate all the guests as well. It is not very easy to find a venue which can provide both accommodation and group space for large numbers of people
Croydon Hall stands out in terms of the professional and consistently high standard of service it provides without becoming an impersonal corporate-like business."
Susanne Fehr
www.schoolofmovementmedicine.com
Email: susanne@susannefehr.com
Veggie Ventures
For the past 19 years Nigel Walker has been arranging holidays in the UK and abroad, focussing on great vegetarian/vegan food and a friendly group atmosphere. Menus reflect the local environment and where possible the food is organic. Healthy, beautiful locations with generally simple accommodation are chosen.
Nigel chose Croydon Hall 7 years ago for his Christmas Party and has staged this event here ever since. He says that he loves the location which is deep in the country, miles from anywhere.
"The quality of the accommodation and the fact that around 50 guests can be accommodated is of great importance. Combined with the willingness, kindness and flexibility of the staff these factors all add up to a formula for a successful and happy Christmas event.
More than most groups coming to Croydon Hall, the VegiVentures guests explore the local Somerset countryside. Taking advantage of all that there is on offer, activities are arranged which include country and coastal walks, attending the midnight mass at Dunster Church and participating in interesting short workshops such as stain glass painting.
In addition, back at Croydon Hall, guests enjoy playing scrabble by the fire in the lounge, decorating the Christmas tree and helping out in the kitchen. This, increases the feeling of participation and ownership of the event."
Nigel Walker
Email: holidays@vegiventures.com
5 Rhythms
"For me, the main advantage of being at Croydon Hall is the service - finding a fire ready to light in the lounge, relaxing in the hot tub after the dancing, having a great music system, flowers in the workshop room, massage tables available - all these make a difference to my work. It has been an exceptional workshop."
Dilys Morgan-Scott, 5 Rhythms teacher
Tel: 01803 295 442
www.soulwindows.co.uk
Email: dilys_ms@hotmail.com