Boats, planes and ball games: Summer teen trips, WTRRP style

WTRRP volunteers organised three outings this August for teenagers. As our families are staying with us longer, children are growing up and becoming teenagers. We are keen to provide them with opportunities to develop friendships with other young people and enjoy fun days out during the long summer holidays.

Girls’ canal trip

On the 5th of August, we took twelve teenage girls from WTRRP client families on a canal boat trip from Batchworth Lock to Stockers Lock and back.

Most of the girls were collected from Watford and dropped at the boat along with a picnic lunch for later in the trip. We set off in glorious sunshine, skippered by a crew of two volunteers from the Rickmansworth Waterways Trust. We decorated the boat with bunting and played some great music …fairly loudly!

The girls took lots of photos, decorated each other’s nails and really enjoyed designing tote bags. They were keen to jump off the boat and help at the locks – which was great on the way out but after lunch, it poured with rain and only one brave soul donned her cagoule!

Boys’ trip to Royal Air Force Museum

A group of teenage boys was treated to a trip to the RAF museum in Hendon on the 19th. All the boys found something to enjoy whether it was examining the aircraft in detail or the gift shop sweets!

Following a lovely lunch, the minibus stopped at a park on the way back so the boys could have a game of football.

Ball games in Cassiobury Park

The final teenagers’ trip of the summer came on the 31st of August, when several volunteers supervised a trip to Cassiobury Park for all WTRRP teenagers plus younger siblings and parents.

Some parents stayed but most took the opportunity to enjoy a walk in the park. After a rain shower the sun came out and it turned into a gorgeous afternoon. The group played football, rounders and badminton, with an archery set going down particularly well! Light refreshments were served sitting on picnic blankets under the trees, and as it was one of the boys’ 11th birthday, we celebrated with a cake and candles.

Chatting to the young people during the outings, we heard lots of great ideas for future outings, including trips to the cinema, trampolining, swimming, dancing, and days out at famous historical sites. Here’s to many more fun and inclusive events!

Nikki, volunteer