Summer has arrived! Well, the school holidays are in full swing at least and August has given us some slightly warmer weather than July did!
At the time of year when most of us look to have some rest and relaxation with our families, we thought we would approach our latest blog with a more informal feel and give you an insight into the summers, past and present, of some of our tenants, staff, and long-established contacts.
Our six willing volunteers gave us some fantastic and rather eclectic answers and it was great to be able to get to know them a little better, outside the world of work when we asked each of them:
- What do you enjoy doing in your time off over the summer?
- What is your favourite summer holiday destination and why?
- What are your childhood summer holiday memories?
Nicky Battye – Regional Sales Manager at Venatu Recruitment Group
- I love spending time with my kids and grandkids. We have a large swimming pool in my back garden, so they all play in there with their friends. I love the sound of their laughter
- I love anywhere in Spain, I taught myself basic Spanish so I can speak to the locals. Always have a good time.
- Formby beach with my Nanna, we loved swimming out to the island and playing in the sand.
Andrew Hawley – Managing Director of Hawley Group
- We found ourselves purchasing a campervan towards the end of 2020 and will be making use of this as many weekends as we can, visiting the outer reaches of the UK and enjoying our amazing countryside.
- A field with a view! We discovered “Wild Camping” recently, hiring fields from farmers and spending long summer nights completely disconnected from the world, watching the sun set to some amazing scenery. We recently stayed in Northumberland and watched the sun rise over Holy Island with not a soul in view. Amazing.
- Holidays were a rare treat but typically involved a chalet or lodge for a week in Wales or Scotland. I have the pictures but as I get older, the memories do fade – but I look as though I was having a good time!
Beverley Shaw – Business Development Manager at The Kirkwood
- Summer is a particularly busy time in the charity sector, but when I do have time off, I enjoy spending time at my holiday home in Almeria, Spain. The sunshine brings out the best in me!
- Elephant Hills in Thailand, albeit we visited at Easter as part of our 25 year wedding anniversary. Seeing animals in a natural environment and being able to get close and personal with them, in this setting was magical. Our son was only 7 years old at the time and was picked up by a blind elephant’s trunk, thinking he was food. Our son lived through the experience, but still tells the tale, now!
- Static caravanning on the East Coast in Filey and Scarborough. It was quality time, with family and we could safely run free enjoying our surroundings. Sleeping in a different environment, even with rain battering down on the roof of the caravan was exciting! The car would be full to the brim, as we set off on our adventure and I am sure my mum packed the kitchen sink!
Richard Clark – Partner at Knight Frank, Leeds
- You’ll often find me on a tennis court trying to improve my game. I’m more of a social player but sometimes play club matches around York.
- My wife and I really love Italy and always hire a Fiat 500.
- I’m one of three brothers, so it was important to my parents to keep us busy and out of trouble during summer. Whether that was helping to feed the animals on the local farm or going on family outings. We used to do a road trip down to Sandbanks each year in Dorset. My grandparents hired a place there in the eighties, before it got expensive! We’d fly kites on the beach, windsurf and generally compete at anything and everything.
Jake Wilde – Facilities Manager at Towngate Plc
- I enjoy travelling with my family (my wife Carolyn, and two children Isabella and Emilia). Over the last few years, we have started camping again. We have camped as a family up and down the country and our upcoming trip over the summer sees us pitching up near Durdle Door in Dorset.
- My favourite destination would have to be Croatia, we have enjoyed many happy holidays there as a family. It is an ideal location for travelling onwards to the up-and-coming destinations of Bosnia and Montenegro.
- East coasts of Yorkshire, more specifically Reighton Gap where my grandparents owned a static caravan. Every weekend and summer holidays were spent there.
Russell Todd – Client Account Manager at Gough & Kelly
- Due to the nature of my job I don’t get much free time, however as I’ve just hit mid-life crisis my beard is getting longer, I’ve bought an electric guitar and have started having electric guitar lessons. I have booked a break to Iceland to hopefully see the Northern Lights in October.
- Cruises, I love the idea of waking up in a different destination each morning. Not long since returned from a cruise to Santorini, highly recommended. I cannot deny though that Ibiza is up there on my list; short flight, airport close to the hotels and decent weather/people.
- Mum picking me up from school on a Friday afternoon and heading to our static caravan in Cleethorpes. We had to get there before 6pm to catch the “chicken shop” before it closed. I remember the tv being connected to a car battery, walking around the caravan to get a good signal from the coat hanger aerial, my chopper bike and going crab fishing on Cleethorpes front. As a family we travelled abroad numerous times and lived for several years in Spain, however Cleethorpes sticks in my mind for the happiest of times.
