Play.Eat.Laugh.Sleep..Pickwell: Summer update

Saturday, 20 August 2011

Summer update

It has been a devastating summer with the death of baby Florie. Susie and Steve after the funeral have flown out to France and have taken the Pickwell Camper around France. We very much hope that they are finding rest, recouperation and comfort as a little family unit at this difficult time. All of our thoughts are with Beth, Sam and the girls too.
At Pickwell we are having a wonderful summer now we are back from France and have met some really gorgeous guests. We arrived back to find the house alive and buzzing with laughter and the sounds of family fun. The tennis court, croquet lawn, terrace and games room have been a hive of activity. Cream teas over the last 2 weeks have been a delight and given us the opportunity to hear peoples holiday stories, where they are from and a little of their love of Devon.

Molly and millie have been wonderful helpers, setting out the tea cups and picking flowers from the garden to make everything look beautiful and welcoming. Well done girls!

Our favourite family activity on a warm summer evening is to pack up our supper and head down to putsborough beach. Vegetable stir fry on the beach with the most amazing view in the world, there is nothing like it.

wow!

It has been great being back and reconnecting with our lovely friends and hearing their holiday stories so far. I made everyone try my new found love of French apperitifes; cassis and Rose wine (introduced to us by a lovely french family camping next to us in Vendee). I'm not sure everyone liked it as much as me, Paul said it reminded him of communion wine!

The kids all tucking into sunday roast, yum!

It is lovely being back.

1 comment:

Paul T31 August 2011 at 12:44
We've made it into the blog! *ticks another life ambition off list*
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Our Story

Many people have asked what the story is, how did the Bakers and Elliotts come to be at Pickwell?

Are you sitting comfortably?

Tracey and Susannah became friends at 6th form college. Steve and Tracey lived in the same village in Sussex. Steve's dad was the vicar and Tracey's dad was Steve's scout leader. Even more wierd, Susannah's dad (also a church minister) and Steve's dad were friends, but Steve and Sus never met.

One summer Tracey took Susannah along to a youth summer camp. Steve was one of the leaders (read : heightened attraction) and a little later Steve and Sus got together. During their 6 on/off years they met Richard, a blue eyed boy from Guildford.

At a club night run by Steve, somehow through the dark and crowded room, Tracey and Richard bumped into eachother (if you have seen the shapes they pull on the dancefloor you would know how easily this happened)..

In the year 2000 they all got married. Tracey and Susannah were eachother's bridesmaids. They have remained firm friends ever since.

When Steve and Susannah came across Pickwell Manor, they knew they couldn't manage such a project on their own. They asked the Elliotts if they would give up their house, their jobs and their community to come and live and work with them and own the project together. They knew there weren't many people they could ask to do such a thing knowing they would still love each other by the end. So they all left everything in Sussex and came to Devon.

They moved on the same day in August 2008. It has been a crazy, wonderful, scary, emotional and beautiful experience so far. All of them would say they feel very ALIVE!

Since they moved they have run 51 successful and wonderful weddings (with more to come), many, many holidays, built or totally refurbished 6 apartments from scratch, updated carpets, painted white throughout, put in quite a few kitchens and bathrooms (including 2 baths on concrete plinths), changed much of the furniture, converted a laundry and have started to convert the chapel. Every year they also have a bonfire gathering in October, an Easter Eggstravaganza fundraising event, and anything else that is not-for-profit that they can fit in. Tracey has completed a dissertation and gone back to nursing for 2 days a week, Steve has started up a new company in London, Richard has mastered a lot of the running of the house as well as training as a coach, specialising in stress management, Sus has taken on the interiors and Tracey and Susannah have learnt weddings in at the deep end! All with 4 young Pickwellians by their sides.

"Our passion is for making life count. Our values lie in
friendship, celebration, valuing others, and social justice. We see Pickwell as a reflection of these things but also a place for rest, recouperation, laughter and conversation. We want to support charities and social enterprises to fufil their dreams and make a difference."

"We love Devon, we love the community here, we love seeing our children grow with nature and discovering the great outdoors. We have to pinch ourselves sometimes when we think about our life here, it is amazing".