Youth Groups
guidance notes for party leaders
DURING YOUR STAY AT SKERN LODGE
Welcome to Skern Lodge!
To help you and your group have an enjoyable experience and get the most from your residential trip, we have provided these notes to ensure that there are no misunderstandings regarding roles and responsibilities.
Who’s who at Skern Lodge
The Course Director’s role is to ensure that you and your group are well looked after in all aspects of your stay with us, and have a memorable and enjoyable experience in every way. The Course Director (or CD) is supported by many others on-site - we hope you’ll find everyone friendly and helpful:
The team of tutors/instructors are probably most important to your group
Directors are Andy Milne and John Watson.
Glyn is Chief Instructor, Barry manages operations and Sarah Thomas the programmes.
Sarah Rigby is Office & Environmental Manager whose team consists of Andrea and Debs who manage the bookings and Flavia on Reception.
Becky Groom is Catering Manager, her team includes Andy, Assistant Catering Manager, Danielle, Trainee Catering Manager and Barbara, who runs the laundry and manages the housekeeping team.
Craig Lessiter is the Maintenance Manager and is assisted by Trevor.
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Supervision
The responsibility for the overall supervision and behaviour of the group rests with the party leader. Skern Lodge staff are always available to assist.
Supervision during the activities rests with the Instructor. He or she may request your assistance in certain areas (i.e. another pair of eyes).
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Domestic
Our domestic staff try to keep the Centre clean, but this can only be done if rooms are tidy. Please ask your group to spend a little time between 8.30 to 9.00am tidying their rooms. We normally hold a room tidy competition for our younger guests.
Please encourage everyone to pick up litter, return any cups, etc. to the kitchen and tidy the lounges. In particular please encourage recycling and good environmental practices.
The drying rooms work very well if the clothes are well hung and especially if they are emptied daily of the dry clothes.
The cleaners will put any items of lost property they find in the designated box in your accommodation area, please make sure this is checked before departure.
At the end of your stay, please check all your bedrooms and lounges for tidiness and damage.
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Sweets
If your group are planning on packing sweets, please take the following into consideration:
a) Avoid sticky or chewy sweets which can easily be trodden into carpets or stuck to bedding
b) NO chewing gum
c) Minimal litter
Fire Procedures
Fire drills and alarms
All groups will be briefed on arrival on what to do and where to go in the event of a fire. Should we have a drill, or indeed a fire, then please go to the assembly point with the group and let us evacuate and check the buildings.
Due to the regular occurrence of fire alarms sounding (caused by factors such as the use of spray deodorant and steam from the showers) and the sophistication of the system, we are able to identify the exact location that the alarm was triggered. This in turn allows us to cancel false alarms within minutes of the alarm sounding enabling guests to return to what they were doing without the need for a full evacuation.
Please note that if the alarm is cancelled and did not require a full evacuation at any time outside of activity sessions it is your responsibility to ensure all of your group are accounted for.
Fire extinguishers
Please make sure that your group understands that the fire extinguishers are there for a purpose and need to work. There is a £25 call out charge, plus a fee of £20 per extinguisher for those let off in jest!
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Rules
We try to have very few rules at Skern Lodge, please ensure that your group understands them:
1. No smoking anywhere indoors, or in the minibuses, stores or on activities.
2. All medication to be under the control of the group leader.
3. Have regard for other groups staying at the Lodge, which means in particular
a. Quiet after 11.30pm (at the latest)
b. No entry to any other bedrooms
c. No anti-social or aggressive behaviour
4. The swimming pool, assault course, high ropes and climbing areas are not to be entered unless accompanied by a Skern Lodge staff member.
5. Do not enter other accommodation areas (i.e. if you are in the Farmhouse then there is no need to visit the Orchard or the Courtyard).
6. Be responsible for your own valuables. They can be locked in the office safe if required.
7. The shop is open at the times advertised on the blackboard. The bar is for the use of adults accompanying young people and for all adult groups. No under-age drinking is allowed at any time, on or off-site. Where a group consists of predominantly 16-19 year olds we are unable to serve them alcohol (inclusive of the 18 and 19 year olds) as stated under our premises licence.
8. The possession or use of illegal drugs will not be tolerated.
9. Respect all property and equipment.
Medical
Skern Lodge staff are instructed to deal with any accident or illness. They will not hesitate to call any emergency service if necessary. If any party member has to visit the doctor or a hospital a party leader must accompany them. The leader will then take responsibility for informing family members, school, college etc.
If a member of your group becomes ill or has an accident a hygiene restoration bucket and specially designed laundry bags are provided under the sink in the nearest kitchen area.
In the event of soiled carpets and upholstery or clothing and bedding please follow the steps laid out below:
Carpets & upholstery
- Use hygiene restoration kit to clean up as much of the mess as possible
- Inform a member of Skern Lodge staff
Clothing and bedding
- Rinse item/s
- Place in bag/s
- Tie bag/s at top
- Give to a member of Skern Lodge staff to be washed
Mealtimes
You will be given set meal times for breakfast and dinner. Please try to ensure your group stick to their allocated times to help things run more smoothly in the dining room.
We encourage all course participants to eat well whilst they are with us. Please make sure that everyone in your party is consuming an acceptable amount of food and drink. If you have any concerns please discuss them with you Course Director.
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Bedtime/lights out
Yourself and your Course Director should fix reasonable bedtimes. We suggest 10.00 – 11.00pm at the latest. The site should be quiet by that time.
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Laundry
Laundry service is available for guests. Please discuss your requirements with Barbara in the laundry. Service washes only at £1.50 for a single wash or dry and £2.50 for a wash and dry.
Security
Please pay special attention to the last page of these notes!
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Hot drinks / toaster supervision
Hot drinks are provided during meal times on-site. Outside of meal times a vending machine is available opposite the shop/bar entrance. Younger children need to be supervised please.
Another potential hazard is heat from the steel case of the toaster at breakfast. Please arrange to supervise your group if necessary in this area.
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Duty Instructors
Duty Instructor (day)
An instructor is on duty at teatime each day to ensure all runs smoothly.
Duty Instructor (night)
A night duty person will work from 7pm to 8.30am each day, and is named on the bottom of your activity programme. Their main duties are security and to liaise with yourselves and all customers on-site to ensure everything runs smoothly during the evening and through the night. He/she will see you during the evening, and will be on call for emergencies. The night duty bedroom is just inside the instructors living area. An external bell calls through to the room, alternatively they can be contacted using the internal phone in your lounge, on extension 211, or by mobile phone on 07977 259633.
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Party leaders night out
Remember that the overall responsibility is yours. However, if the party leaders wish to leave the site en-bloc, please arrange this with your Course Director. It is essential that you are back on-site before bedtime. A mobile MUST be taken.
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The environment
Please help us to conserve the environment by getting your group to use the recycling bins correctly, turn out lights, turn off taps after use, turning TV’s off after use, sticking to paths and bringing all of their litter back from off-site activities.
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At the end of your stay
We would be grateful if all guests would remove the sheet, duvet cover and pillowcase from their beds and place in the bags provided. Thank you.
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To help us to help you
Please mention anything you are not happy with to your Course Director immediately. Alternatively, you are always welcome to call into the office to make any points you wish. Remember it is your course and we are working for you!
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SECURITY AND SAFETY
Courtyard, Farmhouse and Orchard – Essential reading for security and safety
Although we are in a relatively safe area, with clear site boundaries and no near neighbours, security is very important, especially at night. The gates are locked at about 11.30pm, preventing vehicle access at night.
All ground floor windows (and many upstairs ones) have fitted stays, which restricts the opening of windows to 4”. This is enough to prevent an opportunist gaining entry, but cannot be strictly secure**. The only way to make the building as secure as possible is to close all outside windows and lock all outside doors. The buildings are only as secure as you lock them!
** Downstairs windows need closing if you require maximum security, or may be left open for restricted ventilation for what many people would consider reasonable security.
Courtyard:
Close the large white plastic doors either side of Courtyard whenever you are ready in the evening (or the Duty Instructor will close them around 11pm). Once closed, they are then locked to anyone trying to come in, however the crashbars enable you to get out in an emergency.
The windows between the offices and the shop (Snipe, Curlew, Hare, Hedgehog, Fulmar) and the three lounges (Fairway, Middle Ridge and Pullies) are the windows facing outside. See note ** above.
If you require keys for bedrooms please see your Course Director who will be happy to show you where they are kept. Party leaders are responsible for keys at all times and ensuring that they are returned to your Course Director at the end of your stay
Bathrooms: please be aware the floors are slippery when wet, even with the anti-slip coating applied.
Farmhouse:
The front door is a keypad. The other external doors (staff lounge, main lounge and downstairs corridor) all have Yale locks, should be locked at night and can be opened from inside in emergencies.
If you require keys for Deer, Pine and/or Spruce please see your Course Director who will be happy to show you where they are kept. Party leaders are responsible for keys at all times and ensuring that they are returned to your Course Director at the end of your stay.
Birch, Willow, Pine and the foyer by the telephone are the downstairs windows. See note ** above.
Bathrooms: please be aware the floors are slippery when wet, even with the anti-slip coating applied.
Orchard:
Outside doors are of two types:
- If they have a round dial - the door may be locked from inside by pulling the handle up and turning the round dial. (Concorde, Conference, bottom of each stairs, from gents and ladies to outside).
- If the door has no round dial - it can never be opened from the outside. They can be locked or open from the inside – most are usually kept locked, please let us know if you would like any others locked. See windows note ** above. Windows next to opening doors must be locked at night to prevent easy access.
If you require keys for bedrooms please see your Course Director who will be happy to show you where they are kept. Rooms can be locked from inside without keys, so many groups do not use the keys at all. Party leaders are responsible for keys at all times and ensuring that they are returned to your Course Director at the end of your stay.
Bathrooms: please be aware the floors are slippery when wet, even with the anti-slip coating applied.
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We all hope you have had a wonderful time. Please come and see us in the office to discuss any plans for future bookings before you leave.
