‘5 to 9’ boosst team update

Hello Hello! Yes, its that time again…another team blog coming right up…

Hello Hello! Yes, its that time again…another team blog coming right up… We have all had a lovely busy Summer and I simply cannot believe this is the penultimate blog of 2025! Where has the year gone! Over the Summer my family and I took some time to visit Stowe Gardens. You can spend the whole day here exploring and I am sure it will be even more beautiful moving into the Autumn.  Stowe is now a National Trust property, with a Georgian Landscape Garden where you can explore Grand temples, a Palladian bridge, reflective lakes, waterfalls, and woodlands all in one place. The Gardens were actually created by Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown during his time there as Head Gardener there from 1741. I’m sure it won’t shock you to learn this did not interest my little boy – who was more interested in which trees he could climb. In addition to the stunning landscapes there is also Stowe House to explore should the weather take a turn. It is well worth a visit. Close to Stowe Gardens is Buckingham and Old Buckingham Goal. The Goal is a lovely little place to explore and you won’t need more than a couple of hours for your visit. They have so much there for children, particularly young children, dress ups, colouring, interactive ‘touch’ exhibits. Its a great place to spend an hour or two. We then explored Buckingham and stopped for some lovely lunch.  Finally we all jetted off for our family holiday to Fuerteventura. This Spanish Island, is only 60 miles off the coast of North Africa so we embraced the heat and constant sunshine! Aside from the mini clubs, discos and pool activities, I didn’t manage a page of my book but it was worth it! We did however manage to find a beautiful spot to enjoy a glass of wine after a boat trip one day whilst the children napped – bliss! We all had such a great family break, bringing home lots of memories.    Nicola and her family packed up and headed down to Cornwall, they had a great break, mixing a relaxing Shepherd’s hut (and hot tub) with days out exploring and go karting. They visited Bude – a beautiful nearby Cornish town with plenty of cafes and a large beach to explore… it even has a small castle! They also visited Carnglaze Caverns, a stunning labyrinth of beautifully lit underground caverns and caves to explore. Whilst looking around the Caverns you can also learn about Cornish mining history, afterwards enjoy a walk in the fresh air in the 8 acres of ancient oak woodland adjacent to the Caverns. You can even get married down in the Caverns should you wish! Pleased to report, Nicola is content with just the one husband. Jenny had a busy summer, spending some time at their Norfolk beach house, in between lots of celebrations! She brushed up on her baking skills, making a 1st Birthday cake for her Niece and a Golden Wedding Anniversary cake for her parents. I think you’ll agree they both look absolutely yummy – move over Mary Berry!      Laura and her extended family enjoyed their annual visit to Potters Resort (in Hopton-on-Sea). Her son, Max, particularly enjoyed the KMX bike riding and Scalextrics. They did, of course, have a family game of Boules, although I have no news on who won this legendary game! Gabby treated her mum, Tracy, to a cracking afternoon at Grease, courtesy of Secret Cinema. This wasn’t your average film screening… you’re talking full-on interactive experience at Battersea Park in London. The songs and iconic movie moments were acted out live, making it all feel like you’d stepped straight into Rydell High. Naturally, Gabby and Tracy embraced the Grease spirit, popping by Shake Shack for a bite before donning their best attire for a visit to the Frosty Palace. It was a day to remember, and definitely one to recommend for a family outing or a Mum-and-Daughter day out.  Gabby was also delighted to be asked by her cousin Georgia (who she grew up closely with) to be her Bridesmaid earlier in the year. This naturally involved organising a memorable hen do in North Devon for a group of 15 girls and Mums. The weekend was filled with all sorts of fun and mischief… fancy dress, plenty of laughter, inflatable chicken costumes, and, of course, an abundance of prosecco (I’d be disappointed if this wasn’t the case – wouldn’t you!).   Avril and Gary have also been keeping busy this Summer. For those of you that don’t know Avril and Gary are proud owners of a cannon named Louisa! – I am pleased to report ’Louisa’ behaved impeccably on both her outings this year. She’s an American Civil War 6 pounder – the barrel is from the 1970’s but the carriage is brand new this year, hand built and fitted with help from their very clever friends. They also spent a very wet, windy and muddy weekend at the Little Orchard, Cider and Music festival in Cornwall – yes, they did see some of the headliners (Friday & Saturday) but decided not to brave the 70 mile an hour winds that were forecast for Sunday night’s acts and returned home – smart move I think.   After Keith & Linda returned from a victorious Lions tour in Australia, it was time for Josh and Keith to drive to Zandvoort in Holland for the Dutch F1 Grand Prix for their annual ‘father & son’ trip (giving Linda a well deserved rest!).  Josh returned very happy, after finally see his long-supported team McLaren win ‘in-person’ after a few difficult seasons.    Gabby and Josh spent a long weekend exploring Oslo, and were seemingly very lucky with the sunshine and blue skies… apparently ‘it isn’t always like this!’… according to the  locals they met. Josh competed in another Hyrox race, while Gabby was fulfilling her support role and cheering him on from the sidelines. They enjoyed a great couple of nights out and an electric boat trip across the Fjord. The imposing Opera House sits right on the waterfront, surrounded by a great blend of traditional architecture, modern sculptures, city landscaping and fantastic museums. A great place to add to your travel list… just aim for a month where you may get dry weather to properly explore!    Lots of Summer fun! However, the prize for ‘Trip of the Summer’…..this has to go Dawn and her family…they embarked on a spectacular cruise along Alaska! They had a couple of days in Seattle before embarking on a stunning journey through the Alaskan inside passage, taking in breathtaking sunrises, spectacular scenery and some very wild wildlife!  They explored Juneau, the capital of Alaska, Skagway and Ketchikan, all fascinating places with very different experiences to offer. The highlight of the trip was a day in Glacier Bay, taking in the breathtaking Marjorie and Lamplugh Glaciers, witnessing calving of the glacier and hundreds of sea otters! Memories that will be sure to last a lifetime!  To top everything off, there were also celebrations back at base – we are all over the moon for Riah who passed her CFP exam! I’m sure you’ll join us in congratulating Riah on such an achievement! There is just no stopping her! As you can see we have all kept very busy memory making. Please do let us know if you ever wanted anymore information on anything the team have been up to, we would love to talk to you. Until next time… Katie x