Here are some summer updates from Flynne’s Barn.
We’re halfway through our eighteen planned residentials for 2024. The Flynne’s Barn community continues to grow as more young people engage in our residential and counselling services. It’s wonderful to see lasting friendships form and the encouragement and support our young visitors give to each other. These friendships continue beyond a stay at Flynne’s Barn and help people to move forward in their lives.
Our Stays
We’ve hosted a mix of Flynne’s Barn and Partnership Stays this year. Each stay has its own feel. We organise bespoke programmes of activities through liaising and planning in detail with our visitors. The aim is to offer inclusive programmes which enable people to pace it, as well as to embrace adventure. We’ve had a few wild swimmers to stay this year! The stock favourite activities are canoeing and the good old alpaca walks at Lingholm Estate. The alpacas win everybody’s hearts and it’s true to say that some lasting bonds have been made with our woolly friends. Visits from Annie the Shetland pony and her entourage are hugely popular too.
“They always say the second movie often doesn’t live up to the first, but no matter how many times you return to Flynne’s Barn, it’s always just as good.” Matty, February ’24
Partnership Stays
We’ve been strengthening our partnerships and have been privileged to work with inspiring colleagues. We’ve partnered with Teenage Cancer Trust teams to bring groups from Edinburgh, Manchester, Nottingham, Leicester and London, with more to follow later in the year. It’s wonderful to see how the staff as well as the young people relax into the feel of the place, and everyone greatly benefits from being away from the hospital environment. The beauty of the valley works its magic for everyone.
Hosting our first stay with the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust was an important moment for us. Their amazing work inspired the beginnings of Flynne’s Barn back in 2016. Many of you who knew Flynne will remember how much she loved going on a couple of EMCT sailing trips during her treatment. It was very special for our two charities to come together and share ideas.
We’ve also just had a great stay with the Spread A Smile team who brought a fabulous group of girls to stay. We had a day of torrential Borrowdale rain with flooded roads but it didn’t stop play. We cosied up, immersed ourselves in a clay project and then did some fire lighting and bushcraft in the tipi. We enjoyed an alpaca walk the next day and an exciting landrover adventure up on the mountain at Honister Slate Mine. Thank you Nash and the team for an unforgettably cool experience!
“There is something so special about it. It is as though the space brings people together and instantly wraps them in a warm hug. I found the barn helped create space for people to come together and connect so naturally.” Partnership Stay, April ’24
Creative Stay
Whilst we have found a pattern for our stays that works well, we are continually exploring new possibilities for focused workshops and activities. We’re developing a programme of special interest stays to roll out in 2025. In February this year we trialled our first Creative Stay with a group of returning visitors. Workshops were led by Tom Bailey who has himself experienced cancer. He guided participants to explore their own emotional responses to their cancer diagnosis through nature, art and drama. We’re so impressed with the way the group embraced the experiences on offer and it was moving and powerful to witness their responses. We also enjoyed an outing to see Tom perform his award-winning show, Vigil, in Keswick.
In 2025 we plan to develop more special interest stays ranging from wintertime cosy-ups to summer camping. Thanks to Regatta Outdoors who have donated enough tents, sleeping bags and roll mats for an entire group to camp. It might take a bit of encouragement to get visitors away from the home comforts of the barn but hopefully the call of the wild will win the day. We’re also looking forward to working with Ryan Riley and Kimberley Duke from Life Kitchen to develop our culinary skills in the barn.
Counselling
The work of the counselling team continues. It takes time and effort to speak with a counsellor and involves confronting challenging parts of life. Our counsellors value the trust clients put in them and being part of the emotional and psychological recovery that people are moving through. It’s always good to welcome people who have engaged in our counselling service on a Flynne’s Barn Stay, and it can work the other way round too.
Many thanks to our regular referrers from Teenage Cancer Trust and Young Lives vs Cancer and beyond; and to The National Lottery Community Fund, who continue to fund the service, most recently with a two-year grant that sees us into 2026.
“I can honestly say that my sessions have helped me process things so so much.” Counselling client, April 2024
Here are the details for anyone who is interested in Flynne’s Barn counselling – do get in touch.
Book Club
We are about to start this new online group, which will be open to all Flynne’s Barn service users. The initiative came from Laura Cooper while she was here on a residential stay and was welcomed by everyone. There are often discussions about books, films and series in the barn, and this seemed like a natural progression. The first meeting will be in September, and we’ve already got a good shortlist of books to keep us going. If you’ve been on a residential or had counselling with us, why not join?! Email to find out more.
Trustees
Our trustees have been working hard behind the scenes. As Flynne’s Barn gains momentum the work increases, and we hugely value the expertise and support that each of our trustees bring. Thanks to Anne Darlington, our chair, who pulls it all together and gives of her time and experience so generously.
Going forward we are looking to expand our board of trustees to guide Flynne’s Barn through the next stage. Demand for the services we offer young cancer patients is growing and we would welcome those who bring skills, insight and enthusiasm to support us in our development. Please do get in touch with Anne Darlington, chair@flynnesbarn.org, if you are interested.
Staffing Updates
Our Youth Coordinator, Jenny Wright, has been in post since December. Jenny brings a wealth of outdoor expertise, enthusiasm and energy. She is also a qualified counsellor, and we know people love being supported by her. Her empathic skills combined with her bubbly sense of fun are the perfect ingredients for a Flynne’s Barn Stay. Jenny has recently developed our Volunteer Induction Programme and is constantly liaising with all our volunteers.
Katherine Bonner is now officially the Director of the charity and Robin Ewart-Biggs leads the counselling and family support programme.
Volunteers
“Flynne’s Barn is a remarkable place which has been a sanctuary of support and comfort. The compassion, friendship, care and sense of community I experienced has given me a profound desire to give back as much as I possibly can.” Konnie, July ’24
We’ve been blown away by the number of young people who want to stay connected and give back through volunteering. We now have five brilliant volunteers who are fully signed up and have been through our induction programme. The significance of young visitors returning to support others is immeasurable. Not only does volunteering develop skills and confidence, but our volunteers are also remarkable role models for young cancer patients at an earlier stage of their recovery. The value of shared stories and experiences is powerful and it’s humbling to see this mutual exchange take place.
Our thanks go to Amber Rogan, Chloé Etheridge, Konnie Turner and Mel Kelly and who have given their time, energy and commitment volunteering for our recent Partnership Stays. We look forward to welcoming more of our volunteering crew in the coming months.
We also welcomed our first work experience student from Keswick School this year. Well done and thank you to Emmie Bland who joined in so confidently to help with our TCT Newcastle Partnership Stay.
Thanks go to Nat Ames, Jane Reedy, Myles Harvey Simpson, Sam Heselwood, and Debbie Hutchinson-Cartmel and ‘Annie the pony’ for volunteering their time and skills. Thank you for all that you have contributed to Flynne’s Barn so far this year and for enriching our community.
Groups have also benefited from the support of Aoise Haran and Jem Housden bringing their music and camaraderie, and Tom Bailey bringing his artistic and expressive skills, and all with willing pairs of hands and a wonderful enthusiasm for the project. Thank you!
Fundraising
We love the creative ways our supporters raise funds. There’s been a recurring theme with our most recent fundraisers this year…
In May the Borrowdale Fell Runners donated £287 to Flynne’s Barn. The tough fell-race up Glaramara goes right through the yard – it was great to see them go by!
Our good friend Tom Bailey has just returned from an epic Great Northern Journey walking from the far western Scottish Isles to Norway (with a few boats in between) to raise awareness of species extinction, the loss of biodiversity and to raise funds for Flynne’s Barn. There’s still time to donate here.
We’re thrilled to have five places for the Great North Run this September. Our five runners have been stepping up the pace, so please support Adnan, Emma, Harry, Jenny and Nicola on this link if you can. We’re hoping to raise funds towards our own Flynne’s Barn minibus which would make all the difference.
Thank you so much to everyone who goes that extra mile to fundraise and ensure that we can continue to support the young cancer community. And special thanks to our regular donors – we really appreciate your generosity.
All in all
As we welcome more of the young cancer community to Flynne’s Barn, whether in-person at the Barn or online through counselling, we are constantly refining the support we offer. We are informed by the young people’s needs and the feedback that they give us. There’s no doubt that the setting in the valley goes a long way to creating a memorable experience for visitors. However, it’s the warmth of connections made and the bonds of friendship that carry everyone forward and bind us together.
We’re so grateful for all your support in whichever form that takes – it helps Flynne’s Barn to grow and respond to the needs of the young cancer community. Keep spreading the word about Flynne’s Barn and know that you’re all so valued.
We’re looking forward to what’s next, with best wishes,
The Flynne’s Barn team